


Familiarity

by sarcastichase



Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alex is an artist, Art, Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Everybody Ships Them, F/M, Fluff, I wrote this before ship of the dead and LMAO MAGNUS IS A POET OK, M/M, Minor Blitzen/Heartstone, Multi, Poetry, Winter, fierrochase, magnus is a poet, neighbors!au, they're so cute tho, this shit is cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 02:39:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 24,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12973965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcastichase/pseuds/sarcastichase
Summary: where alex almost hit magnus with a streaming mug of hot coffee





	1. CHAPTER ONE: CHASE

Sunlight blazed through his window as he groaned with annoyance. He never hated the sunlight, heck, he loved it, but it was something that annoyed him during such ungodly hours. He hated mornings, he hated having to get up from bed, struggling to find the alarm clock because of stubborn eyes begging to be just as they are—closed. He sighed as he opened his eyes, rubbing at the other one just so the drowsiness would go away. Again, he vowed, he hated mornings.

He turned to one side, studying the sight of his apartment. He had been an orphan. He never knew his father, and his mother had died two years ago. Apparently, he had been taken care of custody by his uncle Randolph, he had to take a few jobs, and made the aforementioned relative agree to let him live alone for college in an apartment near said university.

Magnus Chase has never been the greatest tinge of normal in the world. He was an eighteen year old college sophomore, not the tallest person, has blond hair that stretched down just above his shoulder and was parted in the middle, he had a resting bitch face painted over his features. He was sarcastic—which was one of his greatest talents—and quite fond of not being fond of physical contact, and friends. Yet he had two, which made him a third wheel since Blitzen and Hearthstone had been in a relationship.

He sighed. He got out of bed while muttering a bunch of curses and dismantling the little bit of drowsiness in him, went straight to the kitchen. He saw one of Blitzen's note stuck in a magnet on the refrigerator. Hearthstone ordered you some falafel! But bring it to school for lunch or snack. For breakfast, help yourself with some fried eggs ala Blitzen. He looked at the note and silently ranted about Blitzen forgetting it was the start of their winter break. He stared at the take-out falafel paper bag. "Fadlan Falafel" was printed there in a comical font. He remembered taking breaks on that place, picking up some iced coffee from a vending machine outside the winter days.

      His eyes then moved to the eggs that lay there. He helped himself in the taste of buttery egg, Blitzen was never the cook, but he did love cooking eggs for Magnus whenever the kid was not aware that his refrigerator has been emptied again. Blitzen and Hearthstone, they would pass as his parents, actually. He decided to call them mom and dad once, it was one of the biggest mistake he had done.

      Shaking the memory aside of threatening in ASL from Hearth, and a bunch of flowery and colorful words from Blitz, he managed to smile a bit when he noticed the bookrack he stowed away in the kitchen. His kitchen was not as dirty as a single teen with an inhumanely tall deaf blond, and a vertically challenged person as parents who visited him from time to time. His kitchen was rather spotless, a fridge (which he had no idea was still working properly, unless there are no explosions then it was safe) was in the other side by the door, tall glass windows made the snowy sky flutter on sight, the sink was clean, and his tables were the same structure.

      He smiled looking at the snowy roofs of the other buildings, but one thing had caught his eye, and it was the room adjacent to his. The windows were open and there stood a mess of green hair, and a half-asleep face of Alex Fierro. Aside from the fact that she was trans and gender fluid, she was also known in the university for her artistic ways of making herself known and respected. He never knew the aforementioned schoolmate moved into the apartment building adjacent to his. The bewilderment etched around Magnus. 

      Glancing over the room structure, he also figured the design and structure was very similar to his. He bared his sight to his room, and apparently, the same way Alex had come from, was a bedroom, proved by the bedroom window that was opened. The apartment buildings were so close to each other, that Magnus could've opened the windows and they could high five. The green-head was never not part of what Magnus wanted to get involved with, but he did admire her artistic nature and works. Alex Fierro's paintings and pottery was something that could inspire him with his own skill—poetry. He couldn't say he was skilled, but that was his way of showing his own talents.

       Apparently, everything about Alex Fierro can somehow make Magnus pull off some poetic lines. And there he was, unnoticed by the girl on the other side, as he sipped coffee he just made, a pen on the other hand as his eyes skimmed the sight. Alex's eyes were half-closed, but even there, he could see how her eyes were of different shades. He loved how her hair was tousled, and messy in the morning. He wore an oversized pink sweater with a Scooby Doo print over it, making himself some coffee as he yawned.

She was more of what  
everybody could see,  
The glint of perfection  
displayed for everybody.  
She wasn't vain,  
nor was she a lady.  
She was a human,  
a human with utmost beauty.

      Just like a bunch of needles being willed to a magnet, words of different lengths and meanings attacked Magnus' mind. He lips were curled at the side as he witnessed the peaceful sight of a winter morning during winter break, how Alex is still in a daze of sleepiness and morning hatred. She was still muttering things, yet Magnus couldn't hear. But he loved (although he doesn't really admit it to himself) how he could make up so many endearing phrases that was inspired mostly of Alex Fierro's morning routines. 

     Which dawned on Magnus that he was being a creep. He almost spewed out his coffee, but the sight of Alex almost dropping her mug of coffee alarmed him, he opened the kitchen windows wide and he called, "Hey, Fierro! Your mug's dropping!" He said, but the aforementioned girl did nothing, just sat there, with a mug almost swaying down on the floor.

     "Alex, hey!" He shouted, but nothing happened. The girl was motionless and in a daze while a mug of coffee was falling from her grasp.

     "Fierro!"

      "Green-hair! Hey! You!" 

      "Hey Ale—" it was not long when a mug of coffee flew to his windowsill, he heard the cracking of the ceramic as he looked back to the girl who threw it. 

      "What the fuck, Alex Fierro?!"

      "Yeah, Magnus Chase. I heard you the first time!"


	2. CHAPTER TWO: FIERRO

"Yeah, Magnus Chase. I heard you the first time." The words came out of her mouth as if they were slurred and unpolished. Her daze was still not out of her eyes when she heard that voice ripple through her arms of hearing. She heard that voice before, in a distant classroom, where she had first seen the guy.

Magnus Chase was never Alex Fierro's apple in her eye. Heck, she never bothered trying to know the guy. All she knew was that this guy knew how to write, and apparently, girls—even her own sister once—have read a poem or an essay of his creation and was at least touched, if not fallen in love. Sam, her half-sister, has ranted to her about how perfect the creation was and complained that why can't her boyfriend, Amir, do so for her. Apparently, this Magnus Chase was a lady charmer just by his words. She had no idea that the guy would've lived right adjacent where she just moved to, but she wasn't bothered.

Well, not until today. She rubbed her sweater paw up to her eyes, and knocked the last bit of sleep out of her. She heard screaming outside her kitchen window where Magnus Chase was shouting at her, saying her mug was falling off. Well, it was, but she felt irritated (mostly because she wasn't a morning person) about being shouted at in such an ungodly hour. And before she could've registered the thought, she just threw her steaming mug of coffee right outside her open window, to Magnus Chase's windowsill. She silently sighed in relief that she hadn't hit him right in the face. She looked out and stared at Magnus, as if expecting something. Well? 

"You almost hit me in the face." Magnus said as he pointed to Alex. She just smirked and rolled her eyes at the boy. "Yeah, and you shouted at me. I hate it when people shout at me." Alex knew how affected Magnus was. With how he crumpled the paper he just wrote on earlier—which she didn't know was a poem directly for her—and how his left eye twitched. He was fuming, literally. She laughed at how the other's reaction, but she hid the amusement with a smirk.

"Well, lesson learned: do not shout in the morning." She said as she adjusted the sleeve of her sweater and looked down to the shattered pieces of the mug from below the building. As she directed her sight to the male, she saw nobody there. Must've left. She shrugged and moved back to her living room, fumbling with some paint brushes and an empty canvass.

She was still locked up with sleep in her eyes, but she sketched out an outline, imagining Magnus Chase's hair as it draped the side of his face. He drew him in something she doesn't normally see him, with a smile on his face as his eyes were closed with happiness etched at the edges. She doesn't know why she just sketched a smiling Magnus Chase, but it just came out naturally. Her hands drew up lines, and splattered each with the colors. She looked at the masterpiece she had painted.

"Why am I even doing this?" She groaned at herself, face-palming with her paint-stained hands. Finally, even with paint splattered fingers and face, she laid down on her sofa. Groaning more and more as she felt the winter air enter the living room window. Suddenly, the sweater she wore didn't seem as warm as it was earlier.

She stood up and faced the window, taking in a fresh inhale of air. Winter break just started, and all she did was paint a portrait of the most unexpected person she could paint. Well, it wasn't always that she would paint in a daze and get sober enough to find out she painted the person she just threw a mug towards.

       Alex Fierro was never comfortable about these types of days. Sure, she loved how the winter air would brush up on her face whenever she stood about her window. But days where she had to spend her whole 24 hours alone, and not knowing what to do with her spare hours—that's what she hated the most. She sighed and made her way to the kitchen sink, which was adjacent to the blond guy she just argued with earlier. She just moved in here later the evening before, trudging her bags as Sam was telling her to be careful and call her when she needed something.

She could still remember screaming at their dad for being such a worthless father. Having only a father to raise Sam and her was quite hard since she never really experienced having a mother. Their mother died, and Sam was took away from them by their mother's grandparents, blaming their father, Loki, for the misfortune they had. They left Alex, and well let's just say that her father wasn't much of a help to her.

     She then groaned, not wanting to remember most of her childhood. She faced the coffee table, a day of sunlight made its way inducting that the sun was higher up, and somehow that annoyed her more. She stood up, took a quick shower, she stepped to the kitchen to get her jacket she usually hangs on the chair.

     She glanced up to the adjacent building and saw Magnus on his desk, writing something. Alex then had an idea popped in her head like a light bulb. Why not buy this guy some coffee.


	3. CHAPTER THREE: CHASE

     Magnus groaned, tearing away another page of his stationary. His mind was racing as he thought of words to describe just how infuriated he is with that Alex Fierro. He was actually annoyed with the fact that the girl actually threw him a mug of coffee and looked pretty amused with it. But either way, he was rather annoyed for himself that he just turned and left like that when he clearly wanted to talk to her more.

He was sat by his desk and was writing another poem. Pretty much, poetry and books were his way to loosen up some anger or anything that bothers him. Other than that, he might as well go and eat the falafel in his kitchen. He decided not to, since he needed to preserve such delicacy.

It wasn't long when the doorbell rang. He hurriedly skidded off, fidgeting with the loose ends of his baddy sweater, wearing his fluffy slippers as he walked. He had his hair tied in a little bun just so it won't bother him while he's writing. He opened the door and saw that familiar green hair, and heterochromatic eyes. A smile was tugging at the edge of her lips as she carried a paper bag and two take-out coffee cups in a handle. Her voice greet his sense of hearing as a mischievous "hey!" escaped her mouth.

Magnus was at an utter lost for words, specially when he looked like he was straight out of bed. But he quickly regained his composure as he cleared his throat. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I visit my neighbor?" She asked as she shrugged. "Well, are you going to let me in?" Magnus stepped aside from the door and let Alex take off her shoes, putting it to one side, leaving her in a denim jacket. She wore dark green skinny jeans and a white blouse, her socks were stripped green and pink. Pink and green were her trademark colors, which she was pretty known of.

Magnus failed to meet her eyes, but he was silently looking at those beads. One was faint amber, as one was brown. He admired the two different colors in Alex's eyes, letting her sit down on the sofa by the low coffee table. The blond just sat across her, studying her expression as she smiled contently at what she just did.

"So," Magnus cleared his throat, again. "What brings you by?" He sounded so awkward that Alex had to grin at his nature. The green-haired lass just sustained her laughter inside her, not wanting to ruin their time.

"Sorry for throwing my mug at your windowsill." She looked down on her socks, suddenly the patterns were much of interest. Magnus just rolled his eyes—in an amused way.

"Gee, I mean it's okay. I mean, it's just a projectile of utter speed that would've probably ended up barraging my face with coffee and ceramic. So please, no need to apologize."

Alex shot up a glare. "This is why I brought some coffee and sweets!" She gestured in the paper bag and the two disposable containers filled with caramel coffee. Magnus just smiled, admiring how the Alex's nose crinkled up and her eyes grew smaller as she glared at him. He had to admit, he was kind of baffled at first, but when Alex was here and looking at him cutely in her own annoyingly admirable way, all he could do was grin. Just earlier, he was admiring her natural beauty, now he was pretty much basking in the glory of her being here. Oh, and by the way, Magnus doesn't actually like her that much. But he was willing to have a change of thought.

"I already had coffee earlier." Magnus smiled at her triumphantly. Alex only rolled her eyes, she opened the paper bag and pulled out a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. She handed one to Magnus and bit one for herself.

"You can have these. Since you disturbed me from my coffee time, I'll drink one." She said and uncapped one of the coffee cups. Magnus had—again—traced her features using his eyesight. He was pretty much intoxicated with Alex right now, but of course, having how thick the bloke is, he never admitted it to himself. 

He took a bite of his cookie. It was not before long when Alex Fierro decided to stand up, and walk away. Magnus thought she was about to leave when she actually sat on his desk just by the door, reading the pages of which he had scribbled on some poetry. Alex hummed as she read one out loud. "He was locked and stiff," Magnus admired as how her voice actually suited the words. "And coated with grief."

     "What are you doing?" Magnus asked with a laugh. Alex looked at him and winked, flailing her arms as if she was a damsel in distress. She leaned over the chair and audibly gasped. 

      "But he found her," Alex acted out with a made-up lovestruck expression on her face. Magnus was already laughing at this, and Alex secretly loved the way the boy laughed. "And made things a lot better."

       Alex looked up to a laughing Magnus, the lovestruck expression she had on her face was swapped with adoration, but Magnus was oblivious to the fact. The blond just laughed there while scanning Alex's smile. She read one of the short poems he had written while dealing with his anxiety, when he had nobody. He had imagined a man, without anybody to console him, and he imagined that man meeting a girl and that girl lightened up his world. The poem was simple:

He was locked and stiff,  
And coated with grief.  
But he found her,  
And made things a lot better.

     And somehow, that poem related to him right now. Because he had Alex there, and the green-haired girl with dashing heterochromatic eyes made thing a lot better. 

     Magnus smiled, which was something he never genuinely did in a long time. Well, that was before Alex came over after throwing a mug at him. Yeah, that's the weirdest part.


	4. CHAPTER FOUR: FIERRO

"Sam, stop." She said as she looked at her sister, her usual hijab was actually missing this time, as Alex noticed. Samirah's brown hair was hanging loosely from a braid, she had explained earlier that she accidentally lost her hijab while she was traveling with her betrothed, Amir. 

Right now, the brown-haired girl was in Alex's apartment. She had told her stories about her travels with Amir Fadlan. Sam was a blushing mess while talking about the love of her life, which pretty much baffled Alex to a laughing mess. Well, that was until Sam noticed the painting she had left for display. Yeah, she forgot about that quickly made portrait of Magnus Chase smiling. Sam teased her nonstop.

"Are you and him dating?" Sam asked as a mischievous smile crept on her face. Alex just cringed and tried explaining in her tongue-tied state, making Sam more amused.

"It's not what you think, okay?" Alex groaned, wrapping herself in blankets she brought out for san since they were watching a movie on the couch. It was still cold outside, and Sam just hitched a visit since she was free today. "It's—I, umm... I painted that while I was half-asleep." She admitted as she looked down on her foot again, socks were around her ankles as she wiggled them for distraction.

"What?" Sam asked. "Magnus is really great, honestly. We're kinda close, he's Amir's kinda bro so yeah." The brunette explained as she took sips on her coffee mug, relenting on why she had made Alex make her coffee. "Did you and him meet? Oh my, tell me you did."

Alex was kind of hesitating, but she ended up telling Sam about the whole mug-throwing thing. Geez, that was crazy. Alex wanted to erase that happening in the face of the universe and the forces of the memories that raveled on whenever tapped by the nostalgic presences of a person. She didn't want to get remembered by Magnus, for example when the boy ever drinks coffee and see a mug, and just remembers: Oh wow, my girlfriend threw me a mug once. 

     Wait. No! Where did the girlfriend come from? Alex thought and she knew she sported quite a blush since her sister moved closer to her with a look at her face.

      "Why are you blushing? You don't normally blush? Is it because of Magnus?" Sam smirked at her as if she knew that Magnus Chase was her sister's weakness. Which, as of now, it really was.

     Alex Fierro barely falls for anybody. Anybody at all! Since she and Sam got separated when they were young, and the sins of her father was put on her shoulders to carry, she forgot about liking guys or girls, or just the thought of falling for someone. She was too burdened with her father's crap that she felt as if she wasn't herself, that slowly, she was becoming who she resented the most—her father. But she came to realizations and she became trans, and gender fluid. She knows what she was doing, and that was what made her contented with what she, and who she was. After her dad found out about this, he quickly kicked her out. She went to Sam, of course, who offered her to live with her. 

     Alex didn't like the thought of living under someone else's roof. Even if it was her sister's. Sure, she was welcomed there, but what she really wanted was to be free. So after some pottery, and art, she tried selling her masterpieces—even took up tutoring jobs for children who liked art (although she had so less patience for children, still it was cute to her for kids to love art and try to master it at a young age). She gained enough money to get a place of her own, but she was nomad. She didn't settle for one place until winter break, and here she was. This was going to be her permanent—if necessary—home until she's done with college, possibly longer.

     "No, shut up." Alex said in a deadpanned tone, not wanting to explain herself more to her sister. She ended up munching on her cookies, one she bought at the café across the street. She instantly remembered the cookies she gave to Magnus. And yeah, she decided she pretty much needed to kindly forget about the blond.

    Sam stayed there, not pointed out that Alex was blushing and smiling all by herself again. It wasn't natural for the green-haired to be in love, as stated earlier, but Sam loved the idea. She was pretty much going to give Blitzen and Hearthstone a call later. Oh, heck yeah. Set them up, why not? Sam thought of many things, but then again, why not let them find their own way?

     "You know, I kinda read some of his poems." Alex said out of the blue. Sam just titled her head in a questioning way, and hummed. "They were really great, actually."

     "What was the piece you've read?" Sam asked and Alex tried to remember was piece that was. She didn't see a title at all.

      "I think it's untitled." She guessed and Sam just nodded. She remembered the words that were scribbled on the pages of stationary, all scattered across his desk. She smiled, remembering all those poems there. She never actually appreciate poetry the way normal people do, but then again, when it was Magnus Chase's poetry, it was a whole different story.

Alex wasn't an expert with feelings, but she knew those words contained more than just poetic nature. She knew those words didn't just pop on his mind and say oh wow lemme write that —no. She sensed passion in those words, she sensed the feelings coursing through every syllable she read yesterday. And even though it was vague, she felt as if she knew Magnus so well. By how she made him laugh earlier, or by the way he used sarcasm on him. It was nice to see him like that, being close to her.

"Well, that's nice. Usually, his untitled works are written for or based on a person." Sam said. Alex grew anxious about that. Did Magnus Chase like somebody? A girl, probably, that actually brought light to his life? Did someone make him smile and have fun? She remembered masses of words, and she knew those words had more meaning to it than just poetry, and she remembered the things that caught her off-guard while reading it. But one question stayed in her mind—was someone already holding Magnus Chase's heart?

Alex gulped, "Okay then."


	5. CHAPTER FIVE: CHASE

    "You didn't tell me it was your winter break!" Blitzen nagged as he brought down a paper bag of take out falafel on the kitchen table. Magnus quickly rummaged through the bag, taking out the heavenly delicacy, while Hearthstone just rolled his eyes at Blitz who was ranting like crazy.

     "Yeah, but thanks for the falafel, guys. Really love it, honest!" He smiled as he took a bite. God, did he love falafel. He couldn't imagine what kind for world this planet would be without such delicacies. He munched up the treats, ignoring the fact that Blitzen made his way to his desk and rummaged through his poems. He smiled as he shot Hearth a look, pointing to the papers that were scattered across Magnus' desk. The deaf blond skittered towards Blitzen, without Magnus noticing as he was so into the falafel.

      Blitzen owned a clothing shop, his designs were quite in the line as his business was going well. While Hearthstone was an animator. They lived together just as they accomplished their dreams. Apparent, Magnus was in that stage back then, when he needed funds for himself just so he can be independent and escape from his uncle's restrictions. Sure, he was the only family left, but Magnus always loved the idea of being free and depending on himself. So yeah, he worked part time in Blitzen's Best, and apparently, the couple grew onto him and offered him help—which he humbly declined and worked properly.

     After years of working there, getting to know the couple, and gaining enough money, Magnus temporarily quit to have more focus in college. The first year he spent there was the year he moved out of Randolph's bonds, they were in good terms since Magnus insisted. Blitzen and Hearthstone still acted out as parents to him, and helped him get his stuff here. Whether or not Magnus wanted their help, they would always be there for him. Sometimes, even when Magnus never expects. And Magnus was happy for that.

     "Hey kid, who you writing about?" Blitzen grinned as the boy looked up from his food. Magnus instantly felt all his blood rush to his face as if they were on a race. Last one there's a big sour white cell! 

     He tried looking away, but he couldn't ignore the couple's grins. He quickly stood up and collected his poetry, Blitzen laughing silently as he settled down on the table with Hearth. Magnus just awkwardly moved the papers away, stowing it in his desk's drawers and locking it. "It's nothing." He promised as he scratched his back.

     Apparently, the couple knew when Magnus was lying. And his actions were quite obvious since he didn't really care whether his poems were being read by people, this time though, he hid them and blushed a lot. Which made something in Blitzen's head click.

     "You like a girl, don't ya? Or a boy. Or, you know, whatever gender you like, we will support you."

     "Gee, thanks dad."

     "No problem, Beantown."

     "Oh my gosh," Magnus let out an offended gasp. "How dare thee?"

      Stop it. Hearthstone signed as he broke off the two's argument. You can tell us, we might help. Magnus couldn't help but give a satisfied smile. Yeah, maybe he did consider Alex Fierro's actions quite weird, but the way the green-haired girl made him smile like that—he just couldn't get enough of the thoughts on Alex. He slept yesterday thinking about those heterochromatic eyes, her lean and versatile expressions, the way her lips were tugged with a smirk. But he never admitted it, at all, that he liked anybody in particular.

     Sure, he considered himself an atheist. He never believed or followed any certain religious reference. Not that he was against it though, he knew how to respect other people's beliefs. Being so, he heard people talking about the Bible being against same sex relationships. Sexuality and genders never really mattered to him, since liking someone was somehow so impossible for his heart to manifest. For all he knew, he would've claimed he was asexual—BUT NOOOOO. Alex Fierro had to go and throw a mug to his face's direction. 

     "Yeah, I think I like someone. But—" he disturbed himself with clearing his throat, "—I have no idea why."

     Blitzen and Hearthstone looked at each other, as if having an argument just by scanning each other's faces. And by a simple nod from the deaf blond, Blitzen screamed and tackled Magnus in a fatherly hug. 

     They grow up so fast. Hearth signed as he wiped a fake tear from his right eye, enjoying his sense of humor as if it was the best joke he can ever muster. Magnus just looked baffled—he doesn't know what to do. He just said he did seem to like someone, but that hardly mattered to him in all honesty. I mean, I just like somebody. What's the big deal, people?

     "Soooo.." Blitzen said when he sat down on the table again, he had a smile plastered on his face as if he just won the lottery. "Who's the lucky someone?"

     "It's uhh—" And just before he could reveal it, he heard a screaming right across his kitchen's window. He marveled at the sight of Alex Fierro's tousled, bed hair. She wore a green hoodie with pink markings, she held a long line of clay cutter in her hands as she yelled after a laughing squirrel—I know, it's weird.

     "YOU LITTLE FUCKER COME BACK HERE!" She screamed, her face was red with splattered clay and—is that a scratch? Magnus didn't know. But he knew he was in big trouble when the squirrel holding a scarf (he swore it was skittering or laughing or whatever it seemed like doing) jumped towards his window and landed right on his shoulder. He barely registered what was happening, he was quite busy staring at someone here. He studied Alex Fierro's face, how clay was messily splattered there as if she was working on some pottery when she was bothered by this squirrel.

     "Yeah, Chase! You got a bit of a squirrel buddy there. Mind getting my scarf?" She—no—he said. How Magnus realized that Alex was he today? He had no idea. He just stared at him then he instantly knew that he was, in fact, a man now. He quickly widened his eyes as he tried going away from the squirrel, the mammal just hissed at him as Blitzen and Hearthstone tried their best to get it away from Magnus.

     "Losers." Alex sighed in exasperation on the other side. He then got Magnus' attention. "I'll go there, wait for me! Don't ever lose that rodent!"

    And with that, Magnus witnessed how the green-haired Alex Fierro disappear and was probably on his merry way to Magnus' squirrel situation.

    Great.


	6. CHAPTER SIX: FIERRO

Alex was angry. And also rather masculine today.

He woke up feeling as if he was frostbitten because he forgot to shut his window. Of course he loved the cold winter air, and by loving that, he literally forgot he was sensitive to cold. So he put on a green hoodie, and wore some socks on his feet as his cottony sweat pants were already coating his legs. He made his way to his living room to do some pottery, he pushed his sleeves up and proceeds even though the water was quite cold. 

He was by the window, as a squirrel made its way on the sill. "Whatcha doin' there bud?" His voice was quite raspy, because he just woke up. The squirrel just snickered, looking at what Alex was doing. "Yeah, I know. Quite a talent I have here." He began ranting to the animal. "Oh and yeah, I paint too. Normally, I paint abstract things—not a smiling blond." He put much emphasis to his words as he shaped the clay in his hands, the squirrel moved to Alex's sofa just beside him.

"Don't poop, okay?" He warned as he fixed his eyes on the potter's wheel, shaping the clay. He was ready to cut the excess clay when he heard rustles. He came face to face with a squirrel who was snickering as it looked over her dark pink scarf—his favorite scarf. The rodent snickered one last time before blasting away to his kitchen window. Two word only registered to him—THIS FUCKER.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKER COME BACK HERE!" He shouted, not minding the splattering of clay in his face as he ran all around the kitchen. He clutched the little guy once, but he just earned a scratch on the cheek. The pipsqueak ran to the window and jumped, going towards the guy living adjacent to him.

      Magnus Chase stood there. His baffled expression made Alex want to actually take a picture and frame it just so he has something to look at when he was feeling the need to laugh. But, in this situation, he was more worried about his scarf than future blackmail chances.

"Yeah, Chase! You got a bit of a squirrel buddy there. Mind getting my scarf?" He said as he watched the blond writhe and try to get off as a short man with coffee bean brown skin and a tall blond was helping him get the rodent out of his confines. "Losers." He said under his breathe as he sighed, almost crying with the loss of his favorite scarf.

     Until he realized he'd take matters into his own hands. "I'll go there, wait for me! Don't ever lose that rodent!"

     He staggered towards his door and put on some slippers. Yeah, he pretty much didn't care about his appearance. He ran to the opposite building and quickly made his way to Magnus' room. He rushed off and quickly opened the door, it wasn't locked so he didn't bother knocking. Instantly, he found them in a mess while trying to catch the freaking squirrel. Alex almost face-palmed. That ungrateful rodent!

"Alex! What is it with this rat?!" And it seems like the squirrel got annoyed with that comment and jumped off of Hearthstone's hands to Magnus' unfortunate face, scratching it—and well, let's just censure the scene since it was quite gory. (Lol not really, but it was loud and messy with all Magnus' yelling and trashing around.)

Alex rushed to Magnus' aid, trying hard not to laugh while doing so. Magnus just looked so cute with a rodent dashing at his face, Alex didn't know why she—yes, she. She felt quite feminine, she'll have to insist on it later just in case. But she put that thought aside when she ran to Magnus, quickly trying to get the squirrel out of his hair.

After a bunch of screaming and yelling and just plain right chaos advocating in the small living room, the squirrel finally ends up inside a basket of Magnus' clothes (they removed the clothes though, Magnus protested on having his laundry ripped to shreds), with the lid over it and a pile of books from Magnus' collection to keep the lid from falling off. 

     The four of them sat on the sofa, panting hard as Alex gripped her scarf. Magnus was beside her, grasping his stomach as Hearthstone was tending to the scratches on Blitzen's arms. Magnus has a few scratches of his own, Alex made a mental note to tend to them after she caught up with her breath.

     "You have scratches on your arms." Alex pointed out, tossing her scarf across her shoulder. 

"Thanks for noticing." Magnus deadpanned as he steadied his breathing. Alex just rolled her eyes. She quickly grabbed some bandages, and some of the healing balm Hearth produced from some herbs—he was a herbalist, as to what Alex observed. "Let me." She said as she tended to Magnus' arms.

     "That rat is going to be the death of me." Blitzen ranted as he pointed and made faces to the squirrel. 

I wanna keep it, actually. Hearthstone signed. It's a great way to keep in your place. Blitz just grunted, but he knew he'd let Hearth keep it, Hearth loved nature. "Fine, but I get to name him. I shall name him Ratatosk!"

"Are you guys seriously going to keep a psychotic squirrel that steals scarves? And is probably trash talking us right now." Alex said, and pointed to the squirrel who was squeaking and barking. Alex shuddered, as Blitz shrugged and glanced at Hearth. 

"Kid's got a point, dear." Blitzen said, his gaze falling back to Alex. "Oh, I didn't get your name? I'm Blitzen, this is Hearth. And you?" 

"I'm Alex Fierro, Magnus' neighbor." She said enthusiastically and Magnus just rolled his eyes again. Alex seemed entertained tending to his scratches like that. He loved how the boy contorted in mild pain, then would whimper—not that he wanted the boy getting hurt. It's just that, he looked like a cute baby boy who scraped his knee. Alex was not a fan of kids, but he really liked the image of baby Magnus.

"Are you sure you're just neighbors?" Blitzen asked as he shared a look with Hearth. The aforementioned blond just smiled mildly, an equivalent of laughing out loud or a simply mischievous look of insult. 

"Yeah, I guess. We're just neighbors right, Maggie?" Alex beamed at Magnus who just scowled.

"Don't call me Maggie."

Alex continued tending to his wounds. She was oblivious to the fact that Blitzen and Hearthstone was already having a conversation going off in their eyes, knowing these two will end up alright.

Oh, I don't know. I ship them. Hearth signed and Blitzen just smiled at him.


	7. CHAPTER SEVEN: CHASE

      Magnus was cold. Not his personality, but his physical entity was damn cold. He was wrapped up in blankets as white snow rained down the streets of Boston, some ended up in his windowsill as he was drinking some coffee. The window was open, but he didn't do much to close it since he wanted to feel the cold air. Also because he was waiting for Alex to go to her kitchen and maybe take in his sight and say hey or something. Yeah, Magnus was that anxious.

He continued writing on the pages of his journal. This was one of the most important piece of stationary he kept, since it was from his mom. The pages were clean and yet it was the color brown, they were smooth and had not had a single thing on them. Magnus keep it clean and had not written anything on it until he figured out the beauty of poetry, he didn't know why, but his mother kind of presumed that Magnus would one day find his way in literature, if not in other things that is.

He was writing another poem for who else? Alex Fierro. The trans, genderfluid, artistic, and (if he may add) gorgeous person living adjacent to his building, in the adjacent room to his. He didn't know why, but making analogies regarding how gorgeous, and impeccably perfect the aforementioned green-haired, heterochromatic-eyed neighbor he had. But of course, leave it to Magnus to reverberate what kind of denying matter he had on himself.

I don't like her, or him. He thought as he looked at his bandaged arm, and scribbled the words: Everything seemed unreal when I looked at everything she was. 

What's even there to like about her? I mean, she's famous with art, and pottery. That's it. He thought once again, but his hands seem to mind his thinking, as he scribbled the words: She was as important as a piece of a puzzle, an endless drive. She's the epitome of perfection.

Yeah, that's how torn he is. But then again, it would've been better for his soul to deny it than trying to hope for the aforementioned to feel the same. Feelings, and love was something very, very new to Magnus. Which is why he found it hard to admit that he—in a matter of fact—has invested a mild admiration (if not love) for Alex Fierro. But that's it! Only because she's cute!

Magnus wanted to scratch out the pages, but then again, it was a very precious piece of stationary that he evaded doing so. Instead, he glanced to his coffee mug and dared to take a sip. Just when the ceramic mug was about to touch his lips, he heard a familiar, playful voice call out to him from outside the window, causing him to almost drop his mug. Or maybe throw it. (Whichever came first.)

"Hey, Maggie boy!" Alex said as she waved at Magnus, a coffee mug in her hand while she wore a pink plaid oversized shirt and a pair of green shorts that were kind of short for Magnus' will to stay calm. Her green hair was tousled and was sticking out to different sides, but despite all that, Magnus had been able to slap himself mentally. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Don't call me that." He said and rolled his eyes. The front, upper part of his chin-length blond hair was once again tied in a small bun over his head, and Alex seemed to notice that since she was forcing out herself not to laugh.

"You look cute like that." She said as she pointed to the bun. "You look like a poodle." She laughed quietly. Magnus settled his hand on the windowsill, feeling the cold brush up his knuckles. But he dared put his arm there just so he can look cool. I mean, let's face it, Magnus would thereby make himself look like that in front of Alex. No doubt about it, as if Alex didn't find Magnus cool anyway. Damn, they're whipped for each but heck, why can't they just get on with the romance then? Uh, yeah, because I'm narrating so, let's move on!

"I do not." He said as he rolled his eyes again. Alex sat adjacent to him, but was facing the other side. Her hands were rubbing and fidgeting with each other, as if very cold. 

"Yes you do." She said and laughed again. Magnus just rolled his eyes again and sipped his coffee.

"What you writing there? More rhymes?"

"They're poems."

"I'm messing with you, Chase."

"You always do." He said and made a face as he continued scribbling words.

It took about five minutes before Alex spoke up again. "Hey, Maggie?" He glanced back to the girl and was attempting to say another form of protest, but he ended up staring at her. Adoring how the green-haired girl was looking kind of nervous while she was stirring her coffee. "Wanna go here and watch a movie? I downloaded some last night."

It didn't take long before Magnus actually blush. But then again, it wouldn't make it hard for him to explain himself just in case since it was cold. Of course, he would say yes. It was Alex Fierro that asked him to watch a movie at her place, who wouldn't agree to that?

"Be there in ten." He said as he finished up his coffee and put the mug on the sink. He glanced back at Alex who had her heterochromatic eyes on him as if she was a cat looking a laser pointer's light. She smiled, a vibrant tinge of white almost blinding Magnus. He didn't want to say anything about it, because 1) he was afraid Alex would feel awkward about it 2) he was quite new to all this feelings thing, so he wasn't sure about what he was feeling. But he knew one thing for sure, that Alex Fierro is a damn magnet, and he was this ton of metal that was glued to it.

"I'll be waiting for you!" She said cheerily. Magnus gulped and waved, not wanting to say anything else. He just went to his room and prepared for his death.


	8. CHAPTER EIGHT: FIERRO

Alex face-palmed. She didn't know what gone over her and invited Magnus for some movie marathon. She had no idea why the heck she even downloaded some movies and had nobody to watch it with, then thought about her neighbor who—in a matter of fact—makes her feel giddy all over her body. She hated how much she feels about this boy, but yet again she loved it.

She quickly swallowed all the coffee, and threw the mug in the sink (thank gods it didn't break) and ran towards her room. She quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth and made her hair look all good and messy in her way. She then thought it looked weird then brushed it and cussed at it. "Fuck! How do I even do this?!" She asked herself as she brushed it to one side and got hairpins to keep her bangs intact. "Aha! Yes!"

In a matter of seconds, she ran to her cozy, yet walk-in closet and rambled on about finding something to wear. She rummaged for hoodies, and sweaters, all in a cluster of pink and green. She ran to one side and picked up some socks, it was cold and she knew it'll look cute. She decided she'll just, you know, rock her own style. Apparently, her own style was (in her opinion) not Magnus' definition of cute. Yeah, she was that conscious about how the blond would look at her, and sometimes she wants to slap him for keeping a straight face one time, then blushing hard or fidgeting. Why does he do that?! 

She finally settled with a hoodie similar to what she wore earlier, but this time it was all cozy and in mint green. Her shorts were cotton and were in the color of pastel pink. She sported her socks that were plain green. And just in matter of minutes—she heard the doorbell ring.

"Hey!" Magnus said abruptly, alarming Alex. The boy was buried in an olive green scarf while his black sweater was too large on him, and—wow—he didn't bother to change from his cotton pajama pants in checkered red and green. Alex snorted, finding the boy cute in his baggy, yet cozy get-up. "Why are you laughing?"

"You look adorable!" Alex said, not really caring why she said that. It just came out, what was she supposed to do? Magnus buried his head more into his scarf, just like how a turtle would do. Alex didn't say, but she noticed a blush creep on the blond's cheeks. 

"Well, are you gonna let me in, now?" The blond asked and Alex nodded and let the boy in. (Which she regretted in a matter of minutes when they reached the living room and Magnus saw the portrait of him smiling.) 

"Uhh—"

"Not a word."

"That's me—"

"Shun, Maggie." Alex made delirious efforts to make the blond shut up and not talk about what he saw. But Alex know he'll question her later on about that. She did her best to settle the blush that stroked her cheeks and thought of many excuses to make herself look less of a creep to Magnus. 

"Why do you have a painting of me?" He asked finally as he sat down and took off his scarf, causing his chin-length blond hair to fall gently and frame his face beautifully, as Alex would say so for herself. 

Alex's mind raised as she thought of anything—anything that would make her escape from the embarrassment. Fuck, why did I let that sit there? She finally thought of a worthy excuse. "A friend made me paint that." She said, "I think she likes you. I'm dropping that off to, err, her house soon." Then she mentally slapped herself, scolding. Fuck you, Alex. Just, fuck, you. She then turned towards the kitchen. "Uh, I'm just going to make us some hot chocolate and sweets! Be right back!" 

With a dash of adrenaline, she raced to the kitchen while Magnus took in the sight of her living room—or more like art room, but either way, it was acceptable for a decent room to watch a movie in. One part of the room was trashed (in a good and artistic way, if Magnus says so himself) with palettes, paintbrushes and canvas. There was also a shelf filled with pots, and there was a potter's wheel with a finished vase.

Meanwhile, Alex was in her kitchen. Her thoughts were all jumbled up as she tried figuring her way out of such awkwardness. Throwing that thought aside, she brought down two mugs of hot chocolate on a tray and popped on a bowl of marshmallows and cookies—ordered them at the café right across the street, wouldn't want to mess this up now would she? She indiscreetly smiled at how she thought about all this.

      She didn't mention, but inviting Magnus Chase to watch a movie with her wasn't quite something she would do. But then again, it was quite boring and she wanted to take the opportunity to take a big risk and get to know the guy. She then tried and hurried all her anxiety or preferably throw it across the windows, and she walked back to Magnus in the living room—who was now in front of the portrait of him smiling. Alex blushed, she would probably blame it on the cold later on, but she gathered courage and brought down the tray of sweets to the coffee table and stood next to Magnus.

     "Gorgeous, aren't I?" The blond bluffed, causing Alex to roll her eyes and scoff. She crossed her arms over her chest as she felt the awkwardness go down, and their playful, teasing atmosphere came back. 

      "But I did quite a good job squeezing a smile out of you, haven't I?" She said as she pointed to the portrait. "You don't always smile, Maggie. This girl, your admirer, err." She fidgeted with the end of her sweater. "She wanted to see that smile more, badly." Magnus then scoff.

       "Tell her I'm quite struggling on that." He said and Alex just rolled her eyes playfully with an exasperated sigh. She still thought about it and one thing crossed her mind. I'm gonna make this dude smile more. "Let's get into the movie, shall we?"

     "Yeah, by the way, I fancy horror movies."

      Magnus gulped and stared at Alex with an uninterested, yet fearful glaze. "No."

      Alex smirked, "Oh, yes."


	9. CHAPTER NINE: CHASE

       "Holy flipping Helheim."

       "Oh damn, that's bloody!" Alex beamed, "I love it!" Magnus didn't know why this girl actually liked watching blood splatter across a room's walls or the guts spilling out of some human being. Heck, he didn't even know why Alex would choose a horror movie. Who does that? All he thought about was all the complaints and damnable things he might go through with this movie. 

"Why are we even watching this?" Magnus said with a small voice. Yeah, didn't seem as masculine as he thought he would go, but who gives a shit now? He's damn scared, traumatized even. How does this girl keep up with this? And he winced again, getting surprised—he insisted on the term—because of a bloody doll popping out from nowhere. 

Alex shrugged as she took another sip of her hot chocolate. "It's lovely!" She said as she cheered for another death scene. In anyway at all, Magnus enjoyed being here, despite the horrors of watching a horror movie with a vaguely homicidal teen he's now having a movie marathon with. Magnus was glad he was pulled into a way to get to know Alex more, even when all he did was scream and trash around while Alex laughed at him.

Oh, but Alex Fierro's laugh—that was what Magnus got all flustered about. He didn't know if he stared (he stared.) but when he saw the sensation of Alex laughing, her cheeks flush, her mouth ajar and her set of perfect, white teeth greet him along with the melodic sound of her laugh. Of course, he had to make an excuse about gawking, but oh well, why wouldn't he? Alex was cute, she was gorgeous even! 

Still, Magnus questioned who the girl Alex said to have asked for her to paint Magnus' smiling face. For a moment, he was creeped out, but then again, it wasn't so bad. Having someone admire you for your smile—sure, Magnus wasn't quite into feelings and all that certain emotions for a girl and he's pretty sure he's not that much into girls—maybe a genderfluid, trans, green-haired chick with heterochromatic eyes. Yeah, he's into that, just haven't admitted it to himself yet. When will he? Well, to his assumption, never. He didn't take this all attracted to someone thing all too well, for all he knew, he would've been blushing now from all this thinking.

"Alex—okay dammit! Why did I agree to watch this?" He shouted as he followed it with a scream. Alex just laughed again, her eyes closing slightly as she patted Magnus back and made his head lean into her shoulder—OKAY MAGNUS CHILL. 

"There, there. Little Maggie's afraid of some homicidal bloody doll." Alex teased while she rubbed Magnus' hair. "Don't chu worry, Mommy's here—"

"Mom died two years ago." Magnus suddenly said, but realized his mistake when a sound of surprised escaped Alex's mouth, Magnus pulled away and stared at her. She had a look of both surprise and apology, as if she had made the biggest mistake in the world. Before she could open her mouth, Magnus intervened. "No, no. Don't apologize, it's okay! I—" he stopped himself, "I don't want to talk about it, really."

      "Magnus," Alex said and grasped his hand. He just looked at the nice, golden skin wrapped around his pale one's. "I know this will sound insincere, but I'm really sorry. I didn't know, but I—um, I kinda know what it feels like." Alex wrapped an arm over to her shoulder, caressing what seemed like a cold touch of air. She looked very uneasy and terrified of what she was about to say next, and Magnus didn't like it. He hated making her feel as if she was not in her comfort zone, he wanted her to be happy and comfortable and he didn't want to ruin this movie date(?).

      "Yeah, and we just missed another killing scene." Magnus said with humor despite the tense atmosphere, and it seemed to loosen up the gears that had buckled themselves up in Alex's wires. She quickly glanced back at the flat screen TV hanged on her wall as she plopped down the sofa more, wanting it to swallow her. 

      "Damn! I need to watch that again." She groaned as the credits started rolling. Magnus plopped down next to her, admiring the blissful silence as the movie came to a stop. He felt the calm and composed nature of the winter breeze flowing inside from the window, and the clicking of the wall clock as time passed—Magnus really loved this kind of atmosphere. Where he would just sit down in a living room, words in his head jumble into one whole poem. He loved the way he came up with analogies about Alex's hair, or her eyes. Magnus thought she was beautiful.

      "You're beautiful." He said, thinking out loud. "Excuse me?" Alex asked as she sat up and Magnus just exploded as his face got redder and redder. "I—no. It's just—ah, I suck." Alex laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, you suck."


	10. CHAPTER TEN: FIERRO

"So, Maggie—"

"Magnus." Magnus corrected, while Alex just let out a squeaky laugh. She had put in another movie, and Magnus thanked it wasn't a horror movie. Instead, it was love. All about that tender loving and affection—Alex had asked herself why she let Magnus choose a movie for her. She doesn't really know why she had let him choose, it's just that maybe—MAYBE—she wanted to know what his tastes in cinematography was.

"Yeah, why did you choose this again?" She asked with a smile on her face. Magnus just cringed as he saw the two main characters kissing, he swore to whoever god he could think of, it was so cheesy that he had to avert his eyes.

"I don't know, because I don't want myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking somebody is in my house and is about to kill me." Magnus said in a matter-o-factly with a shrug of confidence. Alex rolled her eyes and continued watching the movie. "You do know that that movie is suitable for basically 15 years and above—we're 19, Magnus. 19 years old, and a 15-year-old can handle those extremities better than you." 

"Shh. Shhh." Magnus said as he put a finger on his lip. "My age does not vary my strategical wisdom on how to prevent fear striking my psyche." He said as Alex rolled her eyes.

"Nerd." Alex said and snorted, she then focused her eyes on the movie—heterochromatic brown eyes skimmed through the way two bodies merged together in a heated kiss. She groaned, not really enjoying the display of love and affection, specially when she was with someone she was not entirely comfortable with—and may or may not have a certain crush on, but then again she wouldn't say that to herself now would she.

     She never really thought of Magnus as someone she would spend all her lifetime with. A scraggly, old couple wearing vintage clothing as the both sat on rocking chairs that were situated on a countryside terrace—or even a couple that would hold hands as they looked outside their window during the first snowfall with their possibly adopted child as they tell him or her stories of how the two of them officially started talking about how Alex threw a mug at Magnus on a winter day.

     Yeah, she actually did imagine. But that wasn't the main subject here. Alex was never sure of what she felt about people—about Magnus. She had never been in a relationship. Everyone she would like would either be homophobic (and she ends up detesting them or punching them in the face, whichever came first) or you know—nonexistent. And she was always certain about those feelings, not caring if the person would actually like her back because 1.) She was used to not being loved back and 2.) She doesn't really give a shit or is interested to be in a relationship.

     But for Magnus, it was different. She never thought of Magnus like the way she thought of him now. At first, he was just this gray-eyed schmuck who had shoulder-length blond hair who knew how to write brilliant poems that had her sister scream and rant on about her any day she would come and visit. She just knew him as that literature student who aced any writing contests in their college, even collaborated with a few book writers who appreciated his works—and yeah, just a poetic blond who had this really nice smile.

     Alex had always seen him hanging out with two people at most—a short, black guy that was always dressed as properly as one would dress, as she met him a day ago—Blitzen. And a tall, deaf guy with blond hair that almost passed as white—Hearthstone. Apart from those two which Alex only met yesterday, there was nobody else Magnus hangs out with. Alex always saw him in the library stacking books and sometimes reading them, or in the faculty helping out Professor Chiron with some historical literature stuff or even at the Dean's office taking care of some paperwork—yeah, he was a teacher's pet. And he always seemed to be someone who was responsible and had a way with his words and duties as a person who had been put a lot of burden on.

      "This is so cheesy." Magnus said as he stifled a laugh because of the cheesy lines—Alex was eager to push that laughter out of him. So she thought of the greatest way possible. What that is? Tickling, of course. She drew her hands towards Magnus' sides and instantly the laughter barraged out of him as his cheeks stretched causing the smile to waver, his laugh echoing about Alex's ears. And with a contented laugh, she attacked him with all her might.

     "Alex!" He laughed. "Ahaha! Stop it!" He said as he struggled away from the green-haired minx who was now hovering over him, her agile hands on his sides as her fingers pressed buttons that made his laughter eject out of him. And there he thought only one thing was a possible exit—to fight back. Instantly, his hands swayed to Alex's neck as his fingers gracefully traced it to the back of her ear—she wavered on top of him as she laughed and trashed around as much as she could.

     "How dare you?!" She said, raising a finger over to Magnus' nose and continuing her tickles as Magnus only laughed and laughed. Whether or not the laughter was genuine, Alex was really satisfied to see Magnus smiling—much more laughing. She loved how his eyes were shut tight, and his mouth ajar as his gentle laugh ejected. It was a melody, a symphony being played by either the gentle black and white keys of a piano, or the agile strings of a violin. She loved listening to it, feeling the laughter course through her sense of hearing—it was one of the best things.

     And Alex was determined to make that sound come out of Magnus every time. She wanted him to smile more, to laugh more, to be himself and find happiness. And much more? She wanted to be the reason. The reason a smile was to be put on his face, or even the reason for his laughter—a faint giggle even, even the sly smirks and playful grins a hyena would possess. She wanted Magnus to have emotions—to feel the euphoria coursing through his anatomy, to make him feel the ecstasy of life and living. She wanted him to feel something she also felt.

     Yeah, Alex. Do that. Confuse him as he confused you.


	11. CHAPTER ELEVEN: CHASE

      Magnus was torn between many things. He didn't know whether he wanted to buy strawberries or apples, he didn't know whether to celebrate Christmas or not. He was an atheist, he doesn't believe in anything at all, but then again the thought of Christmas did settle in his mind as something pleasant.

He remembered the days his mom would go up to him and give him some presents, cook him meals—back when he believed in things that were much more pleasant than the things he believed in today. Back when the fairy tails seemed like realities, when all that came to mind were things that can be real—that can exist. After his mom died, he didn't know what to believe in. He didn't know what to live by, what beliefs to have, any other thing to call reality. He's been homeless, then took in by a relative, had to work his ass off just to get out of the household, and now here he was. He was happy being alone—being independent. He was happy being free.

"Yeah, Blitz. I know Hearth doesn't approve with apples but these apples look sexy." He said through the phone as Blitzen ranted on and on about the fruits. Hearthstone and Blitzen were out of town—which they didn't want. Blitz had a project to work on with some collaborations with other fine designers in New York. Hearthstone needed to be there because he was assigned to animate some new Christmas mini-series. They usually had invited Magnus on holidays to eat with them, but on this pleasant holidays when the two of them were out, Blitzen had to make Magnus go grocery shopping so he wouldn't starve himself to death on Christmas Eve.

"Hearth said strawberries would be better in a cake." Blitz said on the other line. Magnus had pushed on the shopping cart, with a bag of flour and other baking stuff were in there. "He said if you wanted to buy apples, you could make pies with them. But you're an idiot—oh wait, but you're not good at baking and making pies. So you'll have to settle with cakes since you're familiar with the methods."

"Gee, thanks." He said and grabbed a pack of strawberries. "Why couldn't I just order a cake like everyone else?" He complained to the guy on the other line of the call. Blitzen groaned, a guttural noise metaphorically eloping with Magnus' sense of hearing. Magnus only rolled his eyes.

Christmas Eve was a whole week away, but since Blitzen and Hearthstone worried (and plotted some FIERROCHASE to happen) about Magnus being alone and not having to enjoy the festive season. So why not leave some list of ingredients and make him cook just to feel the seasonal shit.

"And not ask Alex to bake with you? Kid, I know you have a thing for Fierro. Ask the guy to bake with you." 

"Actually, she's a she today. I don't really know if she settles with 'guy' as something regarding her." He says as he recollected the memory he had earlier. He walked to his kitchen counter as he made coffee for himself, picking up the paper Hearthstone had scribbled on a list of ingredients for a chocoberry cake. He looked past the windowsill and saw Alex Fierro there, her hands were stained with pink and green paint as she rinsed the colors off, she hummed with a smile plastered on her face—and by only looking Magnus knew she was, in fact, a she.

     "Okay then, mister." Magnus smiled at the imaginary image of Blitzen rolling his eyes. Just like the old times Magnus would correct him and make a point regarding their topic. Those memories when he had nowhere to go to where very much distant, yet was so close and felt as if it was the most recent experience. Those were the days he was reevaluating his whole personality, his plans for his tomorrow—and now here he is, on his independent way of making it a reality.

     "Okay, Blitz. I'll call you later, I'm gonna have to pay for these." Blitzen said his goodbyes and Magnus ended the call. He walked over to the cashier and waited in line, a long, boring line of strangers with their groceries or something. The shop was designed with glittery Christmas decor—the place was a whole glittery mess. The shelves were designed with red and green streamers (were those streamers?) and the cashier's booths were colored with red glittery vine-y things that consisted of little Santas, and to just clear things up—it was hella festive.

Magnus waited until it was his turn, he quickly paid for the groceries and scurried home. He carried the bags and settled it in his bicycle's basket. Yeah, he owned a bicycle, a thrifty and more convenient way to travel if he says so for himself. He pedaled on across streets with the winter air caressing his cheeks, the civilians were all about and scattered across the city—shopping for last minute Christmas presents.

CHRISTMAS FUCKING PRESENTS! He thought. He thought about being an atheist, and how ironic this is for him—to care and actually prepare for an event contradicting his beliefs. But then again, he still respected people's beliefs. He respected the way people would believe things like that exists and events such as those obscured history, even when he didn't believe so himself.

And now, he was a already thinking of a certain someone to buy a present for. Gee, Magnus. He thought, Maybe try asking yourself—oh wait! You're awkward as fuck! How would you know what Alex wants? And before he could slap himself with the pack of strawberries he bought, he withdrew his bicycle to the parking lot just in front of the apartment building. The brick wall was as sturdy as some newly constructed building, he hurried picked up the packs of grocery and ingredients and walked to the front entrance—just as Alex was about to go out from it.

"Uh." He said awkwardly. "Hi?"

Alex laughed at him, getting some of the bags from his hands. "Need help? Yes. Now let's get to your place, I wanna tell you something."


	12. CHAPTER TWELVE: FIERRO

"Alex Fierro, what the fuck are you doing?" She said in front of the mirror as she adjusted her hair pins—something she did out of sheer embarrassment. Why did you stare, you idiot? She asked herself when she recollected the memory of how cute Magnus was earlier. He was wearing his pajamas, an olive green color of checkered warmth tousled on his torso down his legs, the upper layer of his hair was in a small man bun. And Alex nearly flipped.

      She quickly scoffed at herself. "Why are you doing this?" She asked again as she put on a white flannel, smiling slightly as she studied her look. Is this cute enough? A part of her mind asked. You fucking idiot, why the fuck are you trying to look cute for a boy? And another contradicted. She rolled her eyes and scurried off to her living room, to find out her phone had been ringing.

     She quickly walked off to answer it, "Hey!" Mallory said instantly as Alex picked up the call. Alex had took her time and cleared her throat, her voice still raspy from the morning winter air. "Yeah, hi. Why did you call?"

     "Yeah, I missed ye too." The red-haired girl said with her Irish accent, which Alex thought was her signature characteristic. "Anywho, I wanted to check up on you. Plus, Halfborn's off with TJ today—they're both still finishing up their projects they didn't turn in before winter break started." 

     "I'm doing good, really." She said as she fiddled with the paintbrushes on her desk. Dried paint splattered on the wooden surface of her work table, a bunch of sketches were scattered in a mess. "Just gonna be lonely for Christmas, but you know, that's usual."

     "I'm sorry, Alex." Mallory said in a low voice. "I promise, next Christmas I'll be there. You won't have to spend Christmas alone." Alex let out a silent laugh.

     This was supposedly Alex's first time spending Christmas in her own place—but it wasn't the first Christmas she'd spent on her own. Ever since her mother left them, ever since Sam was taken away from her, ever since she was exiled to live inside a house where her father would always come home drunk with exhaustion, or sometimes alcohol. She was kind of bitter with the event, but apart from that, she was excited.

     She was kind of looking forward on spending Christmas with Magnus. She was—in a way—hoping Magnus wasn't going to be out on that holiday. Yeah,  she wanted to spend Christmas with him so bad. She thought about Hearthstone and Blitzen, or any other relative Magnus had, and she imagined him spending time with those guys—but it wouldn't hurt to try to ask him to have a bite or two in Alex's house. Invite him over for some cake or cookies and hot chocolate. That sounded pleasant.

     "It's okay, Mal. And uh." She cut off herself to clear her throat, a blush evident on her face as she tried to sound as smug and carefree as she always was. "I kinda have someone to spend Christmas with." Mallory gasped.

     "Tell me!" She said, kind of louder than Alex's ears could've managed. Alex just laughed and shh-ed Mallory. "I'll tell you after winter break!" She said and quickly ending the call, not wanting Mallory to make her spill. She knew how her friend would be, she was kind of persuasive. 

     And before Alex could relax or anything else, she quickly clapped and slapped herself slightly. She boosted herself up and walked out of her apartment, moving down the stairs as she grasped the steal rails. It was the middle of the day, minutes before lunch time. She went out of the apartment building and entered Magnus'.

     Upon reaching the doorway to the blond's apartment, she took in a deep breath and knocked. The sensation of euphoria and nerves merging together to send her a message—you'll regret this. But she didn't let that stop her from knocking, even when minutes have passed and nobody seemed to answer. She continued knocking and cursed when the door opened slightly and she peered her head inside to find out that yay—Magnus wasn't home, and he forgot to lock (property close, even) his apartment room. 

     Alex wanted to scold him. To tell him how stupid he is for not locking his room, and maybe for getting her all nervous for no reason at all. But then again, Alex didn't want to say anything in front of Magnus at all. She wanted to just gobble him up and keep him forever—he was that soft that Alex just wanted to shower him with more softness. 

     She walked down the staircase to the exit. I'll just talk to him later, she promised herself. And just as she was opening the door, someone opened it before her—Magnus Chase was standing outside, bags of groceries were in his hands and his scarf was wrapped around his neck, the tip of his nose had reddened because of the cold winter air, his blond hair had framed his face endearingly, and his slightly oversized jacket was swallowing him up in the cutest way possible.

     "Uhh." He said awkwardly. "Hi?"

     What the fuck. Her mind contorted. He looks so cute. She quickly put on a telltale smug smile and snatched a few of those plastic bags. "Need help? Yes. Now let's get to your place, I wanna tell you something." She quickly said and walked before him, leaving in her trail a confused Magnus—who looked cute as fuck.

     "So, what did you want to tell me?" He called out as he laid down the groceries inside his fridge. Alex sat down on the living room, she thought of the last time she'd been here. When a squirrel had took her scarf and wreaked havoc on the peaceful day Magnus was spending with Blitzen and Hearthstone. She'd almost laughed, those were good times.

     She cocked her head to the side, a strand of green hair from her clipped bangs landed on her forehead. "Yeah," she started. "I was just wondering if you wanted to come over for Christmas. I'm spending it alone so, why not?" She said, gaining all her confident just so she could put all those words together. Magnus didn't answer instantly, but he came out of the kitchen with a smile on his face—and that reassured Alex.

     "Yeah, why not?" He said and sat down adjacent to Alex. "I'm spending Christmas on my own too. Hearth and Blitz got me to buy those ingredients for a chocoberry cake, wanna bake one with me?" He asked with a low tone, seeming shy and cute and Alex wanted to slap him and at the same time cuddle him with all the love and support you could ever give to someone. And Alex thought of one thing, a thought that got her so bitter for all those years she spent being alone. All those years she'd hid from groups of families dining out because she didn't want anybody to see she was alone. Those years where she would just bid her friends happiness as they spent their Christmases with their families, and those years she had cursed at the winter air for being such a lovely thing to greet her in such an awful night.

     She hated being alone. But now she wasn't going to be alone. Magnus was there with her now, and she was happy to have him. To finally have someone.

     "I'd love that."

     "So..." Magnus said. "My place or yours?"

     "Seriously?"

     "Saw an opportunity." Magnus said with a sly smirk.

     "And you just had to fucking grab it." And Alex rolled her eyes as Magnus just laughed at her, a smile tugged from his cheeks. And Alex loved that sight.

     Alex just loved this.


	13. CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CHASE

     Nervous was an understatement. Magnus was fucked up, and wrecked to the bones. He was fumbling with his sweater, an ugly sweater with reindeer patterns as he put his hair in a man bun—not wanting it to be much of a nuisance to him while they baked a cake, and also insisting on the man term. He had exactly no idea why he chose to wear a reindeer sweater, and this thought of disarray came to mind when Alex was standing on the ajar door of his apartment, a snickering mess was what she was reduced to when she saw Magnus in that get up.

     "Was this," she said and gestured all of Magnus, "necessary?" She asked and laughed again. Magnus wanted to admit he looked like a dork, and all the more easier when she was faced with Alex, who was looking gorgeous. She wore a plain olive green turtle neck sweater, her denim pants hugged her thighs just right and she had a pink jacket tied on her waist. Magnus wanted to sue her for being so goddamn gorgeous.

     "Shut up, let's just—uhh, bake the cake? I guess." He said as he inverted his sight to the kitchen where he had laid down most of the ingredients and some utensils. They walked right in there after Alex set down her bag, saying she brought a sketch pad because she might get bored—not that she had accused Magnus of being boring though. Magnus just shrugged at her, and continued their venture to the kitchen.

     "How do you even do this?" Magnus had asked, his face contorting as he skimmed through the contents of the flour. "I mean, yeah I'm independent." He shrugged and tossed the flour aside. "But this is the first time I'll be defending myself—cakewise." 

     Alex snickered, her laugh was audible to Magnus as he got infected with the greenhead's amusement. "Maggie, it's pretty easy! Just watch me!" She said and took hold of the flour.

—————

     It was not easy.

     "Alex, why isn't it doing the thing?" Magnus asked as he eyed the electric mixer. Both of them were clad in flour, regretting the fact that they forgot to wear aprons. Alex had batter on her bangs as Magnus had on his cheeks and wrists, on how the cake batter ended up there—they wouldn't need to tell.

     "Magnus," she said, her voice filled with seriousness. "I'm an art major. I paint, I do pottery and any kind of art you could think of." The blond shrugged and asked, "What?"

     "I don't fucking know how to man this machine. What if it fucking attacks me?" She said and nudged the bowl of batter, a thick but proper mush of flour mixed with other various ingredients such as chocolate and milk—basically, that's the two most important ingredients, specifically stated by Alex.

     Magnus, despite being covered in flour and sticky batter, was incredibly delighted for what was happening right now. Alex was here, laughing and smiling and had batter on her hair like a crazy person. The air was cold, and yet it felt so warm—as if summer and winter had eloped and created one certain feeling, and for Magnus, it was tranquility mixed with euphoria. He just felt at peace being with Alex like this, messing around like two idiots not knowing how the fuck to bake a cake, not knowing how to handle an electric mixer. Really, this was one of the best things to happen to him.

     "It's a non-living thing, Fierro." Magnus said as he plugged the machine, electricity coursed through the wires and he started it. Instantly, the batter was mixed in more and become denser, yet more deliciously thick and oozing in the best way possible. "See! It worked!" Magnus said overjoyed and Alex just high fived him. "Yeah!" She cheered as the batter got more mixed up.

     Magnus had turned the machine off and asked Alex for the cake pan. "I'm gonna put icing on it." She claimed and snickered. "Let's make the icing pink!" She said as Magnus nodded his head, a sign of agreement brushed through him as he held the whisk and the strawberry syrup.

     "So, you know how to make icing?" Magnus asked once Alex actually dropped some syrup in a spoon and ate it. Alex nodded, "Maybe." Magnus shook his head. "Somehow, I don't trust that answer."

     "Why must you not?" Alex acted like she got hurt, her hand on her chest as she let out an offended gasp. "I know things!" 

     And Magnus laughed. Something he did quite often when Alex was there, when Alex was around him. He never really thought of anything when she was there—just the occasional fuck you Magnus, what the fuck are you doing Magnus, don't fucking do that Magnus. But apart from those, the only thing in mind when Magnus is with Alex is the joy, the happiness, the enjoyment. Those were everything that Magnus felt, and thought of when Alex was with him. She was an undiscovered world, a cluster of deserted islands scattered in the deep blue serene of the ocean—she was the books Magnus have never read yet, a complete mystery that had Magnus knocked out from all his curiosity. She was like those words in the tip of your tongue—analyzing your mind and memory for what it is, and the euphoria you feel whenever anything rings a bell that puts you closer to the answer. Alex was like that, an undiscovered plain, suspicious but incredibly aesthetic, a mystery unsolved. And Magnus was a mess of curiosity, wanting to find out more, wanting to see more and discover more of Alex. Without prying, of course.

     Magnus wanted Alex to tell him. He wanted to know all those things Alex is hiding, in her own words, with her permission and without holding back. He wanted her to know that he was there, that she wasn't alone like she always seemed to be. Magnus never said, but she saw the loneliness in her eyes every time she would look away, or when she wasn't preoccupied with the thought of playing Magnus' game. Her eyes were of different colors, but they both echoed one meaning—loneliness, and a tinge of spite.

     "Yeah, now let's get on that whipped cream before you accidentally spill all those things you know." He laughed and started the method of making icing for the cake.

     "Whipped!" Alex said once she finished whipping the cream. Magnus smiled when she acted like that, like a child happy with what she had as an output. "On your nose!" Alex said as she smeared the icing on Magnus' nose, laughing uncontrollably as Magnus backed away, looking like Magdolf the pink-nose reindeer.

      "Haha! You look like a reindeer!" Alex laughed. "Ooh, wait—HAHA!" She pointed to the reindeer sweater Magnus was wearing. "Coincidence? I think not!" And she doubled over laughing as Magnus just rolled his eyes.

      Magnus loved all of this. He loved how Alex was there, by his side—smears of icing and batter in her hair and an adorable laugh smeared on her face. He loved being with Alex, and as cheesy as it may have seemed—he loved the way time stopped and Alex was beside him, he loved the way the world seemed to not matter whenever she was there. It seemed as if sparks flew up and over his head, and the sky around them was an overflowing spear of a kaleidoscope. 

     Magnus loved this.


	14. CHAPTER FOURTEEN: FIERRO

     "Well, it looks like a cake."

     "No, Maggie-boy. It looks like a piece of shit with strawberry frosting." 

     "But, it's a cake." Alex cringed.

     "I'm so not eating that."

     "Agreed." Said Magnus as he pushed the failed attempt they wanted to call a cake away from the both of them. 

     Alex cringed from the sight of the mess they've made. Magnus looked at her and knew by just Alex's frown that she was bored and had no idea what to do next, just like him. "Hey, wanna hang at the living room?" He asked once he finally disposed of the mush.

     She beamed, and nodded almost instantly. She quickly withdrew her excitement and cleared her throat, making sure she looked as professional as she could be. She didn't want Magnus to know that that's all she wanted—more time with him being idle and just talking about life. 

      Alex was almost as curious as Magnus. She had dwelled on the longing, the same longing as a hungry wolf had when it hasn't hunted for days, the same longing as that one time you forgot to bring an umbrella and it rained—that longing you desired that somehow, in another time, how she would wish she had had that umbrella—how she had wished she'd hunted for food. Had she been curious, she would claim a thousand answers, and evaluate to none. As she would climb the highest peaks just to confirm a town's location and physique—how she would let her curiosity make the best of her in many ways obscure to emotions.

     "But please," Magnus said before she went straight to the living room. "Wash your face and hair, you have batter all over it." He said with a laugh that Alex would've painted a million times in different angles, different colors, with different meaning etched in a single laughter. It was as if the sight was Impressionism—a way of painting valid for the audience to feel the same thing that is in the painting, to make the audience experience the same joy, the same happiness in that single painting. Or had it been Expressionism—that of the same as Impressionism, but a way where the painting would express the amount of emotions drifting in the kaleidoscopic sputters of paint. Alex had loved his laughed as much as she loved art, confirming that Magnus' smile is art.

     She laughed and made her way to the sink, adjusting her sleeves as she turned on the tap. Instantly, the cold water came rushing down as she cupped her hands and caught the freezing water, making it have contact with her face and her bangs—rinsing away the batter and the ickiness. And Magnus was beside her, now with a towel in his hands as he looked at her with almost expressionless eyes—but not enough to be cold. Those piercing gray eyes just seemed to speak for themselves, muttering an array of words clustered into poems, a dismantling bouquet of withering tulips that seemed to lack it's colors. Magnus' eyes also carried more that just that—those eyes carried emotions, mystery, an untold story.

     She had finished washing her face and dried it with the towel Magnus had offered her. Magnus washed his face too, and quickly dried off with the same towel. Because you know, Magnus was an independent child—why would he have two towels. 

      "So." Alex spoke up. "Let's go?" Magnus nodded and they both went to the living room, Alex leading the way. They both sat down, adjacent to each other as Alex brought out her sketch pad.

     "I've been meaning to ask." Magnus said out of the blue. He too, had grabbed a pad of stationary, a notebook with clear white pages and a pen were in his hands. Alex looked up from her sketch pad, she hadn't sketched anything yet, but she was building up thoughts and ideas of anything—anything but Magnus. She wasn't making the same mistake again, she didn't want to look like a creep to Magnus.

     "Yeah?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow up. Magnus seemed to have blushed, a timid smile brushed upon his face as he had scratched his cheek. Alex would've said he looked cute like that, but apparently, Alex was too caught up in what he was about to say. She was nervous, she was anticipating and fearful at the same time as she held her breathe to what Magnus was planning to ask. "I kinda want to know who that girl was—you know, the girl who uh, asked you to paint me." He chuckled awkwardly. "I'm not really into this whole love thing, feelings, even. So I guess it wouldn't hurt to know what that girl's like. Not that I'm planning on making moves to her! It's not like that!" 

     He had crossed his arms over his face, with his eyes closed and lips curled to a frown. Alex wanted to slap herself when she realized Magnus was talking about the girl she used as an excuse for her creepiness—but really, she wanted to slap herself for what she did back there. She didn't want to embarrass herself and make Magnus think she's creepy for painting him, but she also didn't want Magnus to dream of this girl that admires him, and get his hopes up. And Alex made up her mind—she'll tell him the truth.

     "Uhh.." she had started saying as she dropped her sketch pad on her lap. She took in a breathe and picked it up over to the coffee table and sighed—she built up enough confidence as she withdrew her nervousness. She'd have to tell him the truth now or never. "You see, Maggie—"

     "Magnus." He corrected. Alex grunted.

     "Do you want to know or?" 

     "Maggie it is."

     "She's not real." Alex said as she drew an outline of Magnus' face, tracing an invisible line of detail to frame his face with that shoulder-length blond hair, doodling the eyes with the same intensity as those of storm clouds. She just continued on drawing without looking at Magnus—a strategy she just at that moment discovered. "That girl who says to admire you is not real. I made her up. I painted you because I was bored."

     "Oh." Alex looked up to Magnus who had a silly look of relief on his face. Why is he relieved? Doesn't this guy know what I said? Alex had protested in her mind. She gave him a questioning look.

     "Won't you be devastated—like ah, What the flipping fuck, Alex? Why? Or something beyond the lines of Fuck you! How dare you make a fool out of me? Or you know, the usual angry react—"

     "No." Magnus said as he cackled lightly, moving his sight to the poem he was writing. "I'm actually fine with knowing that you were the one who wanted me painted—not some girl I don't know." He smiled as he wrote words in his notebook. Alex just traced his face with her eyesight—from those intense eyes looking down to the stationary in his hands, looking as if they were storm clouds that carried precipitation that would fall upon the rooftops of houses, the rain that would fall and calm down those who had issues and attraction to the rain. To the cute button nose, where a few freckles were being stubborn and laid there softly—a detail she had seen only know. Magnus had been pale, but those specks of brown were visible to her now. And somehow, she had the slightest desire to connect those dots, and make them a constellation. As Magnus seemed like the blue serene of the sky—and those freckles were the obscure stars. She had traced to his lips, a smile on it. She had wondered how a person would be so kissable, without having to kiss that person.

     "What are you saying?" Alex laughed—an attempt to shield out her nervousness. Magnus only smiled at her.

     "I don't know. With you, everything just seems more right." Magnus smiled.

     Alex smiled back.


	15. CHAPTER FIFTEEN: CHASE

"What got you into poetry, anyway?" Alex asked as she drew Magnus' clothes on him, filling in the detailed collar with the markings of reindeer smiley faces.

"It's beautiful." He said as he turned a page on a book he's reading—Vicious, by V.E. Schwab. [literally one of the best books please read this] He was already in the second part of the story, where the characters seemed to leap, seemed to have found their right places in the story—had signified their own roles. "It's like creating art, really." He spoke of his hobby as something more, a passion. "It's like painting, but with a pen. And instead of colors, you get words."

Alex nodded and hummed. "Why did you wear that sweater, by the way?"

"Shut up." Magnus said and grunted, in a playful manner. "You ruined the moment."

     Alex laughed. "Were we having a moment?" She asked out with a playful smile. Magnus had time to actually blush. It wasn't always, but Alex had this tendency to ruin Magnus' mind's flow—how she disrupt his thoughts and reduce him to babbling or blushing mess. It was quite hard for Magnus to really get used to Alex Fierro's zeal for mischief, her naughtiness. Sure, he was sassy as fuck, but having to deal with Alex? Having to deal with feelings? With emotions? With those goddamn butterflies in his tummy? He would almost choke and kill himself from all the obliviousness from not knowing what the hell must he do. 

And Alex's attributes didn't help, too. Those heterochromatic eyes that have got Magnus writing so many poems—those eyes that seemed to weigh his actions, and carry a ton of emotions he have not known yet. Those eyes that got him wavering, that got him feeling many things he didn't want to feel. He wasn't practically cheesy or anything, he just hated (and secretly liked) the way those eyes would bore themselves into him, as if they were a mirage—something unreal, an illusion. And that smile, a playful, boastful and confident smile Alex seemed to have permanently practiced to have. It was her trademark—an enigmatic characteristic that every time Magnus would see that, there was only one thing that made its way to his mind, Alex's sass.

Magnus buried his red face in his hands, an attempt to hide his blush. "Stop it." He said as Alex laughed at him again. And her laugh—her laugh. It was like a melody, a harmonic rupture to the silence. And Magnus would've, could've wrote thousands of poems, only by that laughter.

"I was just messing with you!" She said as she settled down her sketch pad, a drawing of Magnus obscured the white page. Alex had been drawing Magnus earlier, not really realizing what she was doing. Magnus stared at the paper, his face had had that glint of smile Magnus displayed earlier when she was talking to Alex about the familiar righteousness of how Alex would draw him—and there she did again. 

"Why are you so good at arts?" Magnus complained as he picked up the sketch pad. Alex shrugged. "I don't really know. It just comes naturally, you know. With the flick of my hands, a stroke of the wrist—you'll just let your hand guide you to what your eyes could see, or what your mind can make up." 

"And you just turned poetic." 

"Yeah, I do that."

"But really, can I ask? I know this may seem rude, but I just want to know. When did you realize that you were what you are, for example, the green hair?" Magnus pointed at the flock of green hair, he felt like an asshole really. But curiosity got the best of him, smacking him in the face with the utter realization that Alex might think of him as this bastard who wanted to know why or how or what the fuck is wrong with Alex . But Alex only laughed again, a tinge of sadness and guilt in her eyes as she laid back on the couch.

"It used to be dark brown, really. Almost black, but passable as brown." She looked down on her hands. "I used to be—umm. How do I say this without having to make you uncomfortable?" Magnus only stared at her, she was finally opening up to him and really, why would he be uncomfortable? He would be okay to hear what was Alex's backstory—what was behind the mask she always wore, what was adjacent to that reflection of a fractured, inverted soul?

Magnus cleared his throat. "I'm not uncomfortable in anything I'll hear—but if you don't want to say it, it's okay. I understand." He smiled at Alex but Alex only shook her hand.

"No, but I'd really like to tell you actually. Not much people really know about me—telling you, that would be great for me." She somewhat smiled at him back. She didn't really know, but telling Magnus about her life, telling him what had happened and why this, why that. It just felt right to tell him. And Magnus was really glad that finally—finally, he would hear what was beyond that outer shell.

"I used to be a boy. I think that's already obvious with all the rumors at the university." She took in a breath as Magnus listened. "I didn't really like all that—sports, although I'm quite good at that. I didn't like the way people would call me he and call me a boy. Heck, I didn't like all those things a boy would do. But there are times I did."

Magnus had scanned her face. "And just at the sprout of my teen years, I realized I wasn't who I was supposed to be—wasn't who I want to be. So I changed." She continued telling him her story, leaving out a few details about her family. But Magnus was okay with that, Magnus was okay with anything Alex would be comfortable of. That's what mattered to Magnus—as long as Alex would be comfortable, then it's okay to him. 

"But really, who was I? I was always changing—versatile, even. I didn't want to be just one, I didn't want to be labeled as only this, only what society accepted. It was kind of rebellious, but I didn't want to stick to one gender, so why can't I be all?" She smiled confidently. "Genderfluidity, that's one of the best things to have in life, really. Or at least for me. So, yeah—that's all, I guess?" She shrugged.

Magnus had a smile on his face. "Versatile, yep. You're goddamn versatile alright." He laughed and Alex only tilted her head, a questioning look on her face. "I guess I should tell you things too." Magnus cleared his throat, and the familiar feeling of that pre-telling a friend something beyond her knowledge about you had swept over him, and the feeling of this being just the right thing—being the best thing to do right now. "I've actually not cared about genders at all. I mean yeah, I'm a boy—but genders of people I would get attracted to, or people I would call my friends or lovers. I didn't really care what gender I would be paired to, and really, that's better because—why should I limit myself from being attracted to only one gender when I can be attracted to all?"

[see what i did there people?

Alex: I didn't want to stick to one gender, so why can't I be all?

Magnus: Why would I limit myself from being attracted to only one gender when I can be attracted to all?

Yes, this bitch leaving signs.]

 

Alex smiled at Magnus. "You're pan. That's cute how you actually avoided saying it." Magnus had reddened again and put his face in his hands. There was nothing wrong with being called a pansexual—in fact, he liked it—but the mischievous smile Alex had on her face? That was what averted Magnus from staying as calm and composed as anybody would.

"Yeah." He said and raised up his head. "It was for the sake of poetry." He raised up his hands and acted as if he was Hamlet, with a skull in his hands as he recited lines.

"Dork." Alex snorted with a laugh.

"You're a dork." Magnus smiled.

"You're a dork!" Alex insisted and laughed at Magnus. 

It was these times when Magnus had realized, had finally admitted to himself that—heck yes—he did like Alex Fierro.


	16. CHAPTER SIXTEEN: FIERRO

It was Christmas. Alex had woken up from the alarm buzzing, printed numbers of 12:00 glowed red on the electric clock. She was rolled up in her green and pink blanket—a thick mess that made her look like an avocado that had strawberry frosting roll. And really, that was what she had been going for all day.

"Ahhh." She had complained in a disarray of incoherent noises. "Why is this so hard?" She said as she tried getting up, only falling down again. She heard the Christmas jingles of Santa-wannabes outside, and children or a choir singing the holy glorious glory of how the God was born. She wasn't that religious, she wasn't even sure she was an atheist—but whether she was those two, she would always go by tradition and respect it. It's not like their beliefs would harm people, and it's not like when she talked contradictory to what most people believed, she would get answers. No.

     Finally, she stood up and put on an ugly sweater. Dotted with green Christmas balls, and pink ribbons printed over the collar—this was ugly, but it was pink and green, her colors. She hurriedly went to the bathroom and washed her face, brushed her teeth and dried off with a towel.

     She walked to the kitchen where she had kept a few cookies in the refrigerator. She picked up her sketch pad and pencil, grabbed a few brush pens and colored pens—attempting to paint something just for the sake of Christmas. She glanced to the window, once she finished making her coffee. Almost instantly, Magnus Chase waved to her—he was clad in an ugly sweater agin, but not as ugly as the last one he wore. Alex swore she still dreamed of reindeers haunting her.

     "What you got there?" Magnus asked as he pointed to the table. Alex followed the direction of his index finger and her eyes landed to the cookies she kept refrigerated. "Cookies from the café across the street. Want some?" She asked and laid out the plate of cookies to Magnus, who apparently reached for one chocolate chip cookie. Yeah, their buildings were that close to each other, why did the apartment owner even asked the architect to make a window here? Not that she hated it, she loved being this close to Magnus, despite being so far—well, not really far. But it was still a heavy walk for someone as lazy as Alex.

     "Thanks." Magnus said and sat down on the table, he had a pen and paper on the surface of the table, and a plate of falafel. Apparently, Magnus couldn't spend Christmas—the holiest day, without the holiest food. "Want some?" He asked as Alex only shook her head. She wasn't in the mood for something savory.

     "Did you just reject falafel?" Magnus blurted out. "That's like rejecting my love and emotions." And he put a hand over his chest. "You are cruel."

     Alex laughed. "Shut up, Maggie. I like sweets, mm-kay?" She said and rolled her eyes on Magnus. For some reasons, it was easier for her to smile and laugh whenever Magnus was there. She hadn't known, really, but having Magnus by her side—having such a dork there—that was something Alex was happy and thankful for. She had always hated falling for someone, but it was too late to actually reject it to herself. For all those times she had been with Magnus, she wanted to throw away all the feelings—the attraction, the happiness and euphoria she would feel whenever she was with him. She wanted to wrap all those irrelevant feelings, and throw it away like garbage. But now, really—who was she to do that? She liked the guy, for more than just someone she'd want as a friend.

     Fuck. She had told herself once. Having feelings is this hard. And really, it was. She wasn't the type to be nervous at all, she was laid back and confident and all that. She never really took feelings this serious, and how she coped up with these much feelings? She never knew. But here she was, rambling on about Magnus.

     She wasn't poetic, but she would write for Magnus. All that he was—inside and out. How the golden strands of blond hair would frame his pale face, and sometimes give emphasis to his eyes when he had it up in a bun just so the strands wouldn't have to disturb his sense of tranquility while writing or doing chores he loved. The button nose that she would do anything to bop, and the lips that were so damn close to becoming hers, yet was so far away from her grasp. And those eyes—those eyes that seemed like madness, that seemed like a solidified roach of guilt and storms. She would always remember the childhood days she had, those days where unlike most kids, she would glance out her window and stare at the thunderclouds, and witness the line of electricity—somehow she had the familiarity of that experience while staring at Magnus' eyes.

     "Wanna go out?" Magnus blurted out and Alex almost fell over the window with the question. Instead, she yet out a shaky what and laughed—the best way to cover up a failure. "Uh, I mean—yeah, let's go out on a walk. I don't know? I have nothing to do, I don't even have guests over." He said and shrugged. Alex only laughed.

     "Sure thing. I'd actually love that since I'm alone this Christmas too." She said as she stood up and winked at Magnus. "Now, what about you be a good boy and fetch your lady here?"

     "Ooh! Romantic!" Magnus said, which was an improvement since he wasn't reduced to a blushing mess like those times before. Alex had wanted to scream at herself for saying that—but being the confident self she was, she had held herself up and about and didn't waver. 

     She hurriedly went to her bedroom to get her a coat and a scarf—her favorite scarf that was in the hands of Ratatosk before. That evil rodent. She wanted to smack the squirrel, but then again it would be animal abuse. She quickly put on the coat and scarf and tended to the doorbell that rang.

     "Hi." Magnus said, his face was almost hurried in a dismantled scarf, folded too up his face. Alex snickered at how cute Magnus looked.

     Alex reached out to the scarf, removing it then tying it back around Magnus' neck—a blush was evident on his face, but she would've just assumed it was the cold. And right at that, she finished wrapping it over him, like a mom that would do of her child. "You ready?"

     "Yeah. Let's go?" Magnus offered his hand—and Alex was as surprised as he was. But still, she put up a satisfied smile on her face and held onto the hand as they walked.


	17. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: CHASE

     "Did you know that Christmas trees are so overrated?" Magnus said out of trance as they both stared at the Christmas trees all over the city grounds. Alex nodded, and rolled her eyes. They still had their hands locked together—none of the both of them said a word about it, and nobody even bothered to take his or her hand away. Which was actually fine for Magnus, he really liked holding Alex's hand like this. It was like grasping to leverage—like hanging down a cliff with only a rope to hold onto, with only that rope as the symbol of hope, of a good chance of survival, of that rope being his savior. 

     "What brought you the thought, Maggie?" Alex asked as she laughed at Magnus' incoherent mumbling about how those trees were somehow some monster disguised to be trees. Magnus doesn't know what he's thinking, it was always like that whenever Alex was there—it was a certain feeling and progression of familiarity that he didn't know what, or why he was acting like that. Like the way he had acted with his mother years ago when he was still a child. It was the kind of familiarity that he knew was blasphemous to those who opposed these kinds of love, but he knew to himself that this wasn't offending anything—this was familiarity of love. 

     He had felt the same way about his mother. No, not the kind of love where he would want to kiss her—just like how he had wished to kiss Alex for a few thousand times over the holidays. But the certain type of feeling that when the person comes to view, everything just clears up. The sky is no longer obscured with shitty clouds and darkness, the air he breathed seemed to be as fresh as morning dew in a spring day. It was that sense of familiarity that made Magnus' stomach churn, his chest clench, his mind close up and just make him an utter mess of both serenity and happiness—that he would not care what he was to say, the person next to him was someone he'd show anything with. 

     "I don't know. They're just really evil looking—or maybe it was just Randolph's house that made them evil." Said Magnus was Alex laughed again. Magnus had adored those times when he made Alex laugh, it just seemed right to him as much as her drawing him was the rightest thing that could be. He wanted to push the thought to the side until he thought of it and felt his face heat up. Alex had painted him. 

     "So, have you did some Christmas shopping already? Like buying people presents of some sort?" Alex asked as Magnus was deep in thought about how she drew him, that when she asked the question, Magnus blurted out. "Painting?"

     Alex's forehead crinkled. "Excuse me?" She said, a look of confuse etched on her face as Magnus tensed up and did everything to avoid her eyes. "Uh. Presents, you say? No, not really. I was having problems with this author—wanted me to help out on his book. Course, I'd help, but Christmas had never been such a big deal to me that I just had to take the offer." Magnus tried his best to explain without stuttering.

     "Yeah, same. Wanna buy some tomorrow? Apparently, there will be some great gifts at the mall." Alex said as she inhaled the winter air. Her cheeks were red from the cold as she adjusted her intertwined fingers in Magnus'. The Christmas lights reflected from her heterochromatic eyes, and made them shone a kaleidoscopic sight. It was as if a disarray of auroras and stars were trapped inside her eyes—that if too much color tended to show, it would explode and color the surroundings the color of the cosmos, the colors of undiscovered galaxies morphed to one. Magnus doesn't know why he had always loved Alex's eyes. It wasn't because of the peculiar color, or that they were heterochromatic—it was because those eyes were like a two-sided mirror. Those eyes reflected happiness, playfulness, and confidence as always displayed by Alex. But he knew there were more things behind those spheres, that there were something behind the playfulness and mischief. That there was always something more. 

     Magnus exhaled, the smoke flew up the air as he tried his best to speak in a less hoarse and messy way. "Yeah, why not? What time would you wanna go?" He asked Alex as they both strolled down to the giant Christmas tree in the center of the park. Alex's eyes seemed to study the surroundings—families strolling together, as happy couples would scatter around and laugh as love took over their fantasies. There were also Santa Clauses who gave free wrapped gifts and took pictures with children. Magnus only studied Alex's face more—the hairline that rooted with dark brownish black hair to the green strands, the bride of her nose, her multi-colored eyes, her lips. To Magnus, this sight was the best. 

     "I guess anytime you wake up?" Alex said, and sighed. "We always seem to wake up at the exact same time. Whenever I go to my kitchen, you're already at yours." She shrugged and Magnus nodded. He never really knew why he and Alex always met the first time every morning. Every morning starting winter break, Alex Fierro's face had been what greeted Magnus in the ungodly hours of dawn. He didn't have a problem with that. In fact, he would actually love to see that face every time he woke up—but instead of being a block away, he'd love it if it was inches away from his face.

     "Yeah." Magnus said as he faced Alex. Thoughts scribbled in his mind as he thought of what can be with Alex. Breakfasts together, movie marathons, cuddling—not to mention–"Kissing." Magnus said out loud as Alex was staring at the giant Christmas tree. A luminous tree of kaleidoscopic colors—glitters and streamers decorated it. The star in the very top had white outlines and seemed to gleam the brightest. Alex had looked up at Magnus and stared at him, and Magnus couldn't read the emotions hanging onto her face.

      She didn't know what to do as much as he didn't. Both of them were quite frozen in where they were—staring at each other's eyes, waiting for a response, waiting for something—anything to break the trance they were in. But apparently, it was hard for Magnus to break it. Alex's eyes eyes seemed to call on his; specks of glittery sparkles glowered over the top part, and the center of both eyes seemed to illuminate the colors surrounding them. They were both fixed in their place—not knowing what to do next.

    But it seemed like Magnus' body had something in mind. Slowly, and most definitely not surely, he moved closer to Alex's face—not minding all the people watching, or the bells jingling. It didn't matter what happened that moment. Alex didn't budge, but she closed her eyes, Magnus feeling a bit disappointed as the kaleidoscope of cosmic colors vanished, but he relaxed when she sighed. He put his arms around her waist, supporting her weight as he felt her relax with the simple touch. Magnus had closed his eyes too, throwing away the anxiety and the possible guilt he was feeling.

      And then it happened. It was as if two parallel universes had collided, a phenomenon occurring in the intensity of the both creation and destruction. Or as if two plate boundaries collided in the process of convergence, creating a massive earthquake, and triggering mountain ranges. It was like the collision of an arrow to it's target—the satisfying feeling caressing over his psyche as he hit bull's eye. 

     Satisfying as kissing Alex Fierro, under the colors erupting the darkness of the midnight sky, above everything that dared disrupt the void of distraction—the lack of thinking, and the product of too much thinking. Magnus didn't regret it that moment, and he knew he'll regret it soon enough. But as soon was to come, he didn't care. All he knew was that tonight, he had pulled Alex into a kiss—and he enjoyed it.


	18. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: FIERRO

     Alex wanted to die.

    Okay, maybe not die. But maybe be swallowed whole by the ground. Honestly, she wouldn't mind if any demon from under the earth would pop right under her bed and say: Hey ya lil' devil! Care for some suffering? Or maybe if the grim reaper actually came to visit her and told her: It's time. She would've been glad to come.

     What was she thinking? Closing her eyes? Enjoying the fantasy? She found her hand caressing her lips again—like a flippin' high school girl who got kissed by her senpai or something. Feminine or masculine, the thought of being lovesick made Alex, well, sick. She hated this more than anything, being confused, keeping all these without anything to vent it out with.

     That night, Magnus had freed her from his grasp with an awkward look on his face. And she was speechless, she didn't want to assume anything about the kiss—she didn't want to think he kissed her because he liked her as much as she liked him. But then again, she didn't want to think of anything. She didn't want to think about the kiss and how magical it was. 

     Yeah. Magnus wasn't exactly the definition of magical [actually, he is.] but that time when his lips touched Alex's—that was magical. His lips may have been slightly chapped, but it was still as soft as how Alex would see it. And it was proven that time, that heck yes, Magnus Chase's lips were the softest. Kissing him was like someone was taking her breath away, like someone was pulling on the chord of what was Alex's will to guard her feelings. 

     Alex hated feeling like this. Falling in love, then having her heart broken. She had been through so much heartbreak that she didn't want to fall in love anymore. But with Magnus, it was impossible not to.

    Magnus Chase is one of the most fantastic guys in the world, for Alex. He was poetic, wrote stories with some other book authors. For all Alex knew, his name would've been printed over a book cover with bold letters and a fancy font. He was a nerd—that she would've fallen for despite his geeky side. He had blond hair styled like Kurt Cobain's, which she would laugh about in many days they spent together. He was very awkward, it was like his whole life had been awkward ever since he was born. But those traits never mattered to Alex, those traits were the reason Alex had fallen. She loved Magnus' laughs, his smiles. She loved Magnus' awkwardness, she loved his poetic side. She loved Magnus' eyes, his nose, his body—everything. She loved everything about the boy that sometimes, sometimes she needed time for herself to think about it.

    That night, Alex had ran away. She escaped like how Cinderella had ran off from her Prince Charming—but this wasn't a fairy tail, there was no glass slipper or pumpkin carriages. This was the real life, a real problem—and Alex had ran away from it, in hopes she would hide her feelings without letting Magnus know about how she would feel. Because she was afraid. She was afraid of being broken again that somehow, somehow she wanted to run away from the feelings. Shove it all down her gut, and never feel it again. She wanted to feel numb, not ignited with such feelings that only succumbed to her worsts. She wanted to feel more confident that somehow, in her lifetime, love wouldn't hurt her.

     She had locked herself in her room, windows closed and all that. Magnus hadn't tried talking to her, but that was better than being faced with him too early. She needed time to evaluate her feelings, she needed time to think—whether to cease or continue. She did that for three days, she didn't try talking to Magnus, she would always avoid her kitchen and dine in the café across the street. Sometimes, she would see Magnus riding his bike and leaning it against those metal things for bikes just at the gap of their buildings. And she would look at him and watch him do his usual chores by himself. 

     And she had hated looking at Magnus those days. His eyes were sunken with dark circles, his hair was messy, and he didn't bother tying it in a bun. He was a mess, wearing only a shirt and jeans despite the cold, winter air. Alex blamed herself for all that Magnus was today. Maybe he was stressed about Alex's reaction, thinking that probably he had done something wrong. But Alex didn't want to face him—at least, not yet.

    She didn't want to face him and thinking about throwing her feelings away. She wanted to be sure about her ideas, about the feelings she had felt. The beating of her heart, the skips and stops, she wanted to be sure of all those things she felt for Magnus. But the day she'd tell him was not that day, not yet.

    She locked up all her feelings for five days since Christmas, and she would tell him what she felt on New Year's Eve. And if she couldn't tell him her feelings, at least she wanted to keep their friendship. She didn't want to lose Magnus, she didn't want to lose a friend. It didn't matter if her love wasn't redeemed anymore, all that mattered was that she was to keep Magnus in her life. It was going to be a hard process, but she knew she could do it, she knew she had to do it. 

     "Go on, Alex." She willed herself as she looked into the bathroom mirror, her eyes were also circled with dark eye bags—and she couldn't blame herself, it had been so much to take in that she couldn't sleep peacefully after what had happened that night.

    She was persistent to face Magnus Chase, she was going to do it. She wasn't going to let her feelings cost her the greatest friend she had.


	19. CHAPTER NINETEEN: CHASE

"You're an idiot." Blitzen had told him over the phone, in speaker mode. "Said Hearth."

Magnus nodded, even though the gesture had not been any help at all since Blitzen wasn't there. He had called him just to tell him the stress he had been through, and telling him what happened that night. Magnus sighed, I fucked up. He told himself. And you know that little voice inside your head? The one that always replies: You always do! Magnus had wanted to slap that little voice, because it told just the right term for what his life was. He had always fucked up.

"Tell me something I don't know." He said under his breath as he laid down his bed, papers were scattered over the bedsheets—filled with poems and proses that defined his heartache. Some had scribbles of broken hearts or stick figures. He can't believe he's ending his year in a mess of heartbreak, but then again after the day tomorrow, he had to keep his composure erect again to bask in the glory of studying. He was in his second year, apparently he had to do great for his scholarship to continue on. He needed to prosper and gain a better life that isn't summed up in two words: fucked up.

     "Well, I'm telling you this, kid. Talk to her, stop always giving people time—you need to tell her what you feel, or lose her." Blitzen said in a matter-o-factly. Magnus groaned and turned on his stomach, he muffled his screams on a pillow and let out a sob of discomfort. 

     "I don't want to lose her, Blitz." He said as he brushed up his hair that loosened on his forehead. He stood up and got his towel and fist pumped. "Not like this!"

     "That's the spirit! Now go and take back your girl. Me and Hearth have a date to go to, behave while we're out okay?" Blitzen didn't let Magnus say anything, maybe because he was simply pumped up for their date as much as Magnus was pumped up for taking his girl back. Either way, Magnus ran up to the bathroom, washing his face and feeling better than what he felt earlier. He tried his best burying down all the shitty feelings he had felt earlier and put a steel frame on.

He had built up the words he was to say to Alex—and he didn't want to mess up. Not one bit, not anything at all. He needed Alex back in his life, even as only a friend. He didn't want to lose her, as much as she did. But of course, Magnus doesn't know that.

He put on a proper green sweater, somehow it was the best thing to wear. He hurriedly walked down the stairs to the ground floor, and made his way out of his apartment building. He entered the building adjacent to his, and counted his steps to Alex's room. He was debating with himself if he wanted to talk to her through their kitchen windows, but that would be less sincere for him. He wanted to tell her how he felt if he had a chance, and he didn't want to do it in a kitchen. 

As he was about to knock on Alex's door, it quickly opened and Alex hurriedly ran out, bumping onto Magnus. The two stumbled down the floor, Alex tackling Magnus down to the floor. Before anything, they hurriedly and irritatedly adjusted their composure. The two of them stood up, and simultaneously cleared their throat. Magnus was nervous, but here it goes.

"Uh." Great, Magnus! That's great! He scolded himself when the awkward part of his soul came out to party and wallow in the self-loathing he felt. Then, he quickly willed his strong will to punch that part down beneath his psyche. He breathed in, calculating how Alex looked today. She had bags under her eyes—probably the same reason as why Magnus had his, her hair was kind of messy, but it was her signature kind of messy. It was the most beautiful mess Magnus could've thought of. 

If anything, Magnus had thought about what would've Alex felt. Did he trigger anything that made her run away? Did he do things that made her regret being his friend? Was she never going to be back in his life again? His paranoia knocked on his mind's door, as if it was a murderer bold enough to enter a victim's house through the front door. The atmosphere was heavy around them, but Magnus had tried his best to keep his mind positive—otherwise, he would lose Alex.

And he wouldn't want that.

"I—" Just before he was about to talk, Alex had put a finger on his mouth. Shushing him and making him fall quiet—like how she used to during times they were together and Alex just had enough of Magnus' bullshit.

"Don't talk, Magnus." She said as she cleared her throat and did her best to put up a smile—a small line that was her lips curled up in a small smile. It was minimal, but it was genuine. "Have coffee with me. Then we can talk."

Magnus said nothing as Alex had leased them into the café across the street, the one Alex had told Magnus about over and over. A flood of memories seemed to have made its way in his mind like a fucking tsunami, yelling: HELLO MOTHERFUCKER. And he hated it so much, that he wanted his brain to move out of his head as just suffer the cold, cruel world. But then again, his brain was that inconsiderate—it was no sense arguing with it. They walked into the empty café as the wooden floor and ceiling seemed to creak every time they took a step, the bell that signified a customer's arrival had long dinged as they entered the place—a calm, composed ambiance settled in as the smell of sweets and coffee filled the air. Magnus had wished he brought a notepad and a pencil, he wanted to write poems.

"So, what do you wanna have?" Alex said as they walked up the counter, an employee sat there, he had blond hair and freckles scattered across his golden skin—Magnus had time to stare at the guy, reading the name tag fastened by his informal lapel. Will, it read. The guy smiled at both of them, letting off a cheery vibe.

     "What do you want this time, Fierro?" The guy said, and Alex just smiled at him. She had been a regular here, so Magnus hadn't questioned why the guy recognized her. She was that recognizable that somehow—in an unexplainable way, you could familiarize yourself with her identity, with who she was, just by the mere sight of her green hair and heterochromatic eyes, the slight specks of freckles on her cheeks, and just everything that she was—from the whole picture, to the smallest details, Alex Fierro just was that recognizable to Magnus that somehow, it made him question why.

     Every time Magnus was with her, there seemed to be a sense of familiarity—of feeling something he had felt before yet have no idea what it was. He would feel as if he knew her for a long that, that that sense of love—feeling, he insisted on that term, that sense of feeling he had clasped tight in his chest had been there before, or at least something close to it echoed past the rhapsodizing entry of guilt and philosophy. 

FAMILIARITY

     How he liked the word. It was quite uncanny how he felt that reprimanding to the fact that she had that sense of familiarity with Alex, how he would feel a familiar, misled beat—an unknown disarray of why's and what's slew him so deep in to the thoughts of what that feeling was. 

     "What about two black coffees?" She said as she shrugged. Will laughed, "That seems very unusual of you, Miss Fierro. You've always loved caramel or choco." Still, he stood up and turned his back, but stopped midway as he made his journey to the kitchen or preparing room—Magnus had no idea what to call it. "I'll also throw in some cookies, your painting made Nico very happy. Thank you for that, by the way." He said as he gave her a cheery smile. Alex shrugged and threw said it was okay, and thanked Will. Magnus just stood there, devoid of what to do. 

     "So." Magnus said but Alex hurriedly stopped him by raising a hand. "We'll talk when our coffee arrives." She said as she gestured him to follow her to a seat, and Magnus somehow felt dominated by Alex—well, he always does. But then again, the dominance Alex showed him was very attractive in his point of view, pleasant even. And somehow, that only made Magnus more baffled by his imaginings. 

     So he shut his mouth, and tried averting his sight from Alex, who wasn't helping his bedraggled thoughts. He wanted to say something, but he got caught up in her dominance and the ambiance of the café. The seats were wooden and had metal linings, but it cushioned his butt perfectly comfortable. The window they said by reached up the ceiling and had metal grills towering over them, decorated with some cubes that drew over the tendrils of metal. The winter air was somehow endearing as he relished in the warmth of his sweater.

     It has been a year. His mind calculated. Another year has passed. He added as he remembered the way days passed since he lived alone. It was nice, and somehow quite—very—lonely. He was deprived from human companionship and was drowning in books, and poems. Blitzen and Hearthstone were with him at times, but they were busy as much as he was. The best feeling was that when they didn't come through, Alex was there. Somehow, that made him happy—very happy.

     Moments later, the coffee arrived with a platter of various types of cookies. Magnus wasn't in the mood for coffees, but he was in the mood of talking. He wanted to have Alex back, he wanted them to be the same as always. "So."

     "You know," she said as she sipped her coffee and her face seemed to have combusted in colors—a sign that the taste was very foreign to her. "Black coffee is never my choice." She said and stared down at her coffee. "It's bitter, and the taste is monochrome. And yet, I can't stop drinking it. It's addictive, but not in a pleasurable way." She said and stared at Magnus.

     Magnus didn't say a thing for a moment. He then cleared his throat and said, "Well, that was poetic."

     Alex laughed and yet pretended to be offended. "I was having a moment, you duck." She said and picked up a cookie, biting it and quickly swallowing  after savoring the sweetness. "Well, you wanted to talk?"

    Magnus beamed and started talking. "I..." he started as he felt all the blood rush to his face as Alex only looked at him. Magnus was oblivious to Alex's heart's trashing around her chest.

     In one fluid movement, Magnus had swept up a portion of his hair and dragged it up. He sighed and straightened up. "So yeah, I kissed you that night and I just wanna say that—I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry because I did that and I know it was weird and all that but yeah, I've kinda been liking you and it's all weird like that—wait, I already said it was weird, but yeah, it was weird. Man—"

     "Woman." Alex corrected, a look of smugness plastered on her face as Magnus got agitated.

     "I'm sorry—I just. I didn't want to lose you as a friend, so yeah I don't care if you don't like me back, I just want to be friends with you I don't want to lose you—I just wanna, I don't want to lose—" he got cut off as a cookie got shoved to his mouth with a kiss landing on his cheek.

    Alex sat down and took another cookie from the platter and laughed. "Chill Maggie." She said and Magnus wanted to slap himself. The kiss sent electricity charging through his veins, as if an incoherent cacophony echoed from his ears. She smiled at her, and Magnus calmed down.

    "Look, Alex. I know you may not like me back, but I'm ready to throw away all these feelings just so I could keep you as a friend—"

    "Who said you need to throw the feelings away?" She said with a mischievous grin.

     Magnus looked at her. "I—what?"

     She then leaned over and kissed him, on the lips this time. And Magnus had felt an earthquake envelope his system—it was as if seismic waves have coursed through his anatomy. It was like destruction—hostility and danger, and at the same time, it was calming. The taste of coffee invaded his mouth as Alex drew him deeper in, and the broke away. It was a 10-second kiss, and many may or may not have witnessed. And Magnus didn't care, really.

     "Do I need to answer that?" Alex said as Magnus only smiled at her, a blush in his cheeks.

     "No. Point taken." Magnus said and raised his arms up like he was being arrested.

     Alex laughed, and Magnus laughed with her—a look of satisfaction and contentment varied in his face. "You suck, really." She said as he kissed him again, savoring Magnus' lips.

     And really, who was Magnus to complain about it?


	20. CHAPTER TWENTY: FIERROCHASE

Alex was painting a pot she had made, her fingertips were dirtied with paint. But her smile was fixed in her face as she remembered what had happened the day before. The thought of Magnus being flustered and blushing like a mess made Alex smile in the greatest ways—the way his gray eyes avoided her own heterochromatic ones. It was an action that had Alex laughing and loving at the same time.

"Alex!" She heard Magnus' call from his kitchen window adjacent to hers. She put down the paint pallet and hurried to the kitchen, not caring if she had paint splattered across her cheeks and her fingertips. She just labeled those kind of flaws and bedraggled features as something that made her feel like herself—an artist striving to make her own works, who wants to create and feature herself in art in a way people would condemn to be something inspiring.

A smile creeped it's way to her lips when she saw Magnus' hair in a bun and a mug of coffee in his hand while he was just sitting down on his chair, there was a notebook on his table and a pencil on his free hand. He wore pajamas, must've just gotten out from bed, Alex had thought, and stifled a giggle. In the sight of the familiar green hair and heterochromatic eyes, Magnus smiled.

He was happy seeing her again, and have that sense of peace and satisfaction that this was real. Alex was really there, and what happened yesterday—the coffee, the words, the kisses, the laughter and the overall joy. It seemed to have sent Magnus' veins a strangled disarray of jolts and electricity—he was zealous of the fact that Alex had liked him the way he did, and he didn't need Alex to say it to him, the kiss had contained more explanations that words would've.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Alex said as she scurried to the sink and washed her hands, clearing off the paint there. She took out a thermos and poured in a mug some leftover coffee from last night, and she sat down by the window, adjacent to Magnus'. And she relaxed, these days were her favorite days.

It just seemed like the rightest thing. Seeing Magnus first thing in the morning while chatting and having coffee and just relishing in each other' presence. That was better than anything.

Their relationship status remained the same, all they knew is that they liked each other. And really, Magnus didn't care about that. All he wanted was for Alex to never leave him, never break the connection between them and just be free to like her without her drifting away—but he got something better. Alex Fierro liked Magnus, loved, you can also say. She loved his stormy eyes, that shadowed so much emotions, his golden blond hair, his silly smile and sassy personality, his poetic side that got her on the edge—even his awkwardness and occasional stupidity. Same as Magnus loved all of Alex. He loved her heterochromatic eyes that seemed to echo diversity and fluidity, he loved how she accepts her true self and—much more, he loved how he didn't care about that. 

People, transphobic people to be specific, aren't really fond of transgenders and having a relationship with them, much more being both genders. And Magnus wasn't that kind of person. Really, why would he care if Alex was a boy and a girl—sometimes neither or both, what was wrong with loving someone as precious as Alex Fierro? Magnus accepted her for what she was, accepted her mistakes, her choices and thoughts. Magnus loved all of those along with all of Alex's good traits. 

And Alex loved this kind of relationship with Magnus, was it a relationship? No, it was something that dominated a relationship. There was no word to describe what they were, or who they wanted to be together. All they knew was that they had plenty of time to get to know each other, to testify their feelings and strengthen them. They didn't need to rush all of what they were, they didn't need to speed up what they had just so they can come up with a label. All they knew was that they had this strong connection, a strong mutual attraction with each other that somehow—that was better than any relationship.

"Why are you up so early?" Magnus said as he raised his eyebrows, a pair of glasses laid down on one side of the table, probably his. Alex tilted her head as she sipped down her coffee. 

"I did some painting." She said and shrugged. Magnus laughed and reached out across the window to cup her cheek and wipe off a splatter of paint. Alex may or may not have blushed, and she wouldn't tell if she did or did not. 

"You up painting me again?" Magnus asked playfully.

"You up making poems of me again?" She said back as she pointed to the notebook on Magnus' table. Magnus hurriedly closed the pages and looked fake-offendedly at Alex.

"Not everything I write is about you!" He said as Alex only laughed and snatched the notebook from him. "Oh, really now?" She said and started reading the words scribbled down the pages.

FAMILIARITY

There was that glint of her eyes,  
That reminded me of city crimes,  
An impending issue of diversity and signs,  
Reprimanding the world of naughty lies.

Every time I looked through the pair of heterochromatin,  
It was as if I had submerged through sin,  
A gleam and speck of crystalline,  
And a prospect of light that threatened to dim.

How her hair had the color of mischief,  
A tint of pleasure and zeal,  
She stole my heart better than a thief,  
She made me confused of how I feel.

The gentle kisses that made electricity run up my spine,  
I can't believe those lips are mine.  
And when I touch her, how my hand recognize the skin,  
I knew that familiarity, and I knew that feeling.

And for every time I looked at her face that bore gentle lines,  
It was as if I was pulled back into a void of traveling time,  
And to seek the face of that I have seen thousands of times before,  
I would always recognize the familiarity of the same girl that made my heart sore.

She waisted no time as she pulled by the collar of Magnus sweater and kissed him in the lips. They have been in the middle of the building, with their torsos extending just the right amount to make a quick kiss. An explosion of surprised dipped in Magnus' eyes, and yet he closed them—for Magnus didn't care if he couldn't see, what was better was that he could feel. The way her kisses sent electricity through his spine and back to his lips, the sudden beating of his heart being raced to speed inside his chest. He loved feeling it, he loved that sense of love that drifted across their features, and danced in their lips.

And Magnus had loved all of this. The familiarity was uncanny, and yet he found out what that was about. It wasn't the only fact that Alex had reminded him of his mom, but it was that sense of familiarity that he had recognized the way he felt before. It wasn't the similarity of his mother, nor the feeling of hiking in the summer air being alike to the feeling of being with Alex—it was that, it didn't matter what time they were living in, what generation or millennium—Magnus would always recognize that feeling, the familiarity—for he would always recognize the face, the feature, the same equal touch of the love of his life.

Their story isn't over yet, but this is where I'd end this. They didn't need to be in a relationship to make this a happy ending, all it took was a kiss, and a smile after retracting back—and all just seemed perfect, for Magnus that is.


End file.
